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“Brother… you mean Lady Werner…?”
At Layel’s answer, Lucius’s eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe it. I had expected it to some extent, but I hadn’t anticipated discovering his true feelings so quickly.
‘This is definitely different from the original story.’
I had sensed something from the very first meeting between the two of them, but I didn’t expect it to change so completely. What surprised me even more was that he openly admitted his feelings. I thought he would hide them.
Layel’s expression as he looked at Lucius and me was calm. Perhaps he had anticipated this reaction and was quietly waiting. Lucius, who had been watching him, took a deep breath and asked calmly:
“Then… have you known her for a long time?”
“Yes.”
“Since when, and how did you come to know her?”
“Well….”
He paused, and for a moment his gaze turned toward me. As I watched him seem lost in thought, he finally said:
“I came to know her by chance, and I’ve been keeping an eye on her ever since.”
“…I see.”
Lucius hesitated briefly but then seemed to accept it. Layel hadn’t gone into details, but it was clear that he had known Angelica for a long time and cared about her.
He had said it was “by chance,” but there must have been some trigger. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have known her so well or gone to the trouble of helping her. I wondered what connection he had alone.
“Surprised?”
At his casual question, Lucius replied,
“I didn’t expect you to have a lady you considered special… so yes, I was surprised.”
“That’s understandable. But she is truly special to me.”
“Apparently. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have intervened in this matter at all.”
Since he had feelings for Angelica, he had moved behind the scenes. If he had had no interest, he would have publicly denied the rumors about their supposed relationship from the beginning.
“It was a bit troublesome, but I thought I could use this situation to my advantage. Fortunately, it went according to plan, and it seems it will be useful in the future.”
“Could it be that Lady Werner…?”
Lucius started to speak but hesitated. I could guess what he wanted to ask from the way he glanced around nervously. Finally, he asked cautiously:
“Are you considering her as Empress?”
“Yes.”
“…!”
Lucius was stunned at the quick answer—and so was I. Could he really lay it all out like this? As I struggled to respond, Layel spoke slowly:
“If it had been anyone else, we wouldn’t have come this far. That kind of rumor wouldn’t have even arisen. I always take thorough precautions in advance.”
Not only because he was the emperor, but also due to his personality—he hated getting involved in troublesome matters and paid close attention to such things. Even in the original story, he was meticulous about self-management.
“But because it was her, I didn’t stop the rumors. I even hoped they would spread further.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted her and her family to come to the surface.”
“Is that… because you were considering her as Empress?”
“Yes.”
He nodded and continued calmly.
“The Werner family is an old, prestigious house, and she is fully qualified. But people’s opinions and evaluations follow the times. If a quiet young lady suddenly started being mentioned as Empress, many would have felt uncomfortable.”
“Indeed.”
As Layel said, until then Angelica hadn’t stood out much. She had quietly maintained her position in social circles, doing only what needed to be done, so she hadn’t attracted much attention.
“So I used this rumor to create an opportunity. Interest in her increased as the rumor spread, but because of the Werner family’s situation, the atmosphere went poorly.”
The engagement rumors also spread, drawing more attention, but the family’s difficulties—compounded by Lady Huizette’s meddling—affected public perception.
“Since the situation had already unfolded this way, I proposed a plan to Count Werner for a more decisive turnaround. I already had evidence of the Huizette family’s corruption, so when public attention and the rumor reached their peak, releasing it would create the perfect reversal.”
“…So Count Werner agreed because he knew of your plan.”
“Yes. But she doesn’t know yet. She believes the Count found all the evidence himself.”
This meant that Layel had been working with Count Werner behind the scenes. It made sense; Angelica had said the Count found the witness who had fled. So that witness had actually been arranged by Layel.
“In any case, the plan succeeded. The Werner family regained credibility and reestablished their position. Her reputation has also become more multifaceted than before.”
A slight smile lifted his face. Indeed, Angelica had transformed from a ‘quiet young lady of a prestigious family’ into a ‘strong and passionate young lady.’ She had impressed many at the tea party, and her proactive role in business had earned widespread favor.
“You orchestrated all this to position Lady Werner as Empress…”
“That’s right. There are still stages to go, but first, I wanted to lay the groundwork. So even if she and her family are mentioned in relation to ‘that position,’ it won’t be a problem.”
In the end, Layel’s plan had succeeded. Not only did he elevate her to the surface, but he also guided her all the way through the process.
“…You genuinely desire Lady Werner, don’t you?”
Lucius, watching Layel closely, said. His expression, complicated until now, seemed to soften as he realized Layel’s deep feelings for Angelica.
“I do.”
“….”
“Just as you longed for your wife, I long for her.”
His crimson eyes were striking. Lucius absorbed the intensity of his gaze along with the straightforward words. I quietly observed the exchange of glances between them.
“She is the one who should be by my side. It is her destiny to be there. Just as your wife is your destiny.”
“Destiny…”
“And there’s no concern about her abilities as Empress. She will perform exceptionally.”
His confident words made me feel a little strange. To assert so strongly, he must have observed Angelica for a long time.
He wouldn’t know about the original story, so perhaps they had some connection from childhood. Unlike the original story, he had been a fervent secret admirer.
“I agree.”
“….”
“…Tiana?”
Breaking the silence, I spoke. Their gaze turned to me. I smiled at the puzzled Lucius and said to Layel, who was watching me with interest:
“Angelica is intelligent, considerate, and perceptive. She knows when to act decisively and will be a great support to Your Majesty. She also manages her family’s affairs and business, so she has the skills to fulfill her role as Empress.”
“…You know her in detail. Have you already started calling her by her name?”
“I observed her carefully from the moment I liked her. We agreed to call each other by name recently.”
“I see. That’s fortunate. She will be an ally who supports her.”
“I think so. You two are well-suited.”
Since they were the original main couple, and I personally liked them, I had no reason to oppose. If this story diverged from the original, it would be nice to see them come together faster. I wanted to witness their marriage since I hadn’t finished the original story.
Pleased with my reaction, he smiled warmly. Lucius, who had been observing, finally relaxed and spoke comfortably:
“I also don’t oppose it. If that is your choice, I will support it.”
“Having both of you say that is reassuring.”
With Lucius also giving a positive response, Layel leaned back in his chair and relaxed. He seemed less tense than before.
“Nyaa~”
Rose, who had been sitting between Lucius and me, approached him again and hopped onto his lap. As she tapped his thigh with her paw, he chuckled and petted her back.
“So, what do you plan to do next? Even if you accept Lady Werner as Empress, there must be preparations,” Lucius asked.
Layel nodded.
“Yes. There’s still much to prepare. The situation should stabilize further. Coordination with Count Werner is also necessary.”
“Coordination?”
“The Werner family is neutral, so we must consider the other neutral families as well. The same applies to other factions. Finding the right timing may take some time.”
“I see. Many opinions will be voiced either way.”
“But it won’t be too long. I’ll contact them separately soon.”
“…May I ask one thing?”
“Go ahead.”
Lucius asked immediately after receiving permission:
“Why are you telling all of this to Tiana and me?”
“That is…”
Layel seemed caught off guard. I, too, was curious, so I watched him with Lucius.
Finally, he spoke while quietly observing us:
“Because you two are the people I trust most, and those I want to trust the most.”
“…!”
“Right now, at this very moment, more than ever…”
His words carried weight, and his unwavering gaze conveyed genuine sincerity.
Where does such a heart come from? I could understand Lucius, but even I was included in his circle of trust.
This was the first time I had such a deep conversation with him. Even though I was Lucius’s wife, I hadn’t expected to feel such a profound internal closeness.
Perhaps it was because of his original bond with Tiana? If so, that bond was deeper than I had realized.
Glancing at Lucius, I saw that he too was silent, astonished. As we both remained quiet, Layel spoke:
“Lately, I dream that my people disappear.”
“….”
“One by one, until finally those closest to me vanish. In that world, I am alone.”
“…Brother…”
“I don’t want to be alone in that world. So I’ll restore it. To the original, happy world.”
“Nyaa~”
Matching the low murmur, Rose licked the back of his hand. Maybe it was my imagination, but at that moment, it felt as if Layel and Rose shared a deep, silent connection.
