Chapter 124
A sleepless dawn. Hestia sat by the window of her room, lost in deep thought. The cool morning air brushed gently against her skin through the gap in the slightly open window.
“A witch…”
She had heard that Terhan’s mother was also accused of being a witch. Of course, it was possible she had truly been one, but there were no traces of it in Terhan.
Rather…
“No way.”
Hestia suddenly sprang up from the windowsill. If, by some slim chance, her suspicion was correct…
“Uncle El.”
At her quiet call, a small bird fluttered over from a large tree across the way and landed on Hestia’s shoulder.
Hurriedly, Hestia pulled out stationery and a pen from a drawer and quickly wrote a short note. She folded it neatly and placed it in El’s beak.
“Deliver this to Heron.”
‘After saving him from death, he only grows more brazen,’ El seemed to think, ruffling his feathers and showing his annoyance openly. Before Hestia could even retort, he flapped his wings and disappeared.
“What more do you expect me to do?”
Since the day Hestia had collapsed on Baekah’s back, El often reminded her of that effort whenever he wanted something, taking advantage of her. Frequently.
So it was no surprise that Hestia stared after the now-vanished El with a bewildered expression.
Rustle.
At that moment, a sudden, unnatural sound broke the quiet of the dawn.
“Huh?”
Hestia’s senses sharpened instantly. She grabbed a handful of her cumbersome dress and vaulted effortlessly out of the window. It was the height of the third floor, but that posed no problem for her.
Her dress billowed briefly and settled as her golden-brown hair scattered in the air before cascading down around her shoulders. She landed lightly on the ground.
“May I ask what you’re doing here?”
Hiding in the bluish pre-dawn gloom, he was caught squarely by Hestia’s calm gaze.
Startled by her sudden appearance, or perhaps by being discovered, he widened his eyes in shock and instinctively tried to step back.
“Your Highness, the First Prince.”
Hestia stopped him in his tracks.
Felix muttered a small curse under his breath, trying to hide his embarrassment, and faced Hestia. Her reflection tinted in his crimson eyes.
“…There’s nowhere in the palace I cannot go. This is merely one such place,” he said, seemingly dismissing her accusation.
Perhaps abandoning his attempt to flee, Felix lifted his chin arrogantly.
“You are correct. There is no place in this palace the First Prince cannot enter. But I wonder if this is truly a place you should be at, especially at dawn, in the Second Prince’s quarters?”
“A dawn walk was just a whim. Do I really need to be questioned by a maid over something so trivial? Me?”
As expected, Felix tilted his head nonchalantly, as if it were nothing. Hestia, exasperated by his audacity, pinched the arrogance from his behavior.
Her eyes cooled to an icy stare.
“Then how do you explain snooping in the maid’s quarters?”
“Ha. Snooping, you say? Just because you got a pardon doesn’t mean you can act shamelessly now. And do you know? A pardon only applies to past deeds.”
Felix twisted his lips and slowly approached Hestia.
“In other words, if you dare act irreverently now, I myself have the right to punish you. Understand?”
He took a single step and stopped, raising her chin with his forefinger.
“I’m sorry, but…”
Hestia lowered her gaze to his chilling hand.
“That kind of threat doesn’t work anymore.”
She raised her forefinger to push aside his, calmly.
“Ha. Threats? Do you think the word even applies to someone like you? You’re not even worthy of that. A petty witch like you. How dare you show your face?”
Felix sneered arrogantly, contorting his face in menace.
But rather than faltering, Hestia stepped closer, meeting his crimson eyes without flinching.
“Very well. Then let’s see who the real witch is, shall we?”
“What?”
His eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.
Ignoring him, Hestia stepped closer, one deliberate step at a time.
“W-What are you doing!? Step back!”
In the empty dawn, a woman—who might very well be a witch—approached him with an unreadable expression. Felix instinctively recoiled.
“…Now that I think about it, it’s really strange. On what grounds were you accused of being a witch?”
As Hestia stopped, so did Felix—forced to halt by the tree behind him.
“I saw it with my own eyes. You casting strange spells! Even the Empress herself noticed.”
Even with fear in his eyes, Felix spoke with confidence. Perhaps the audacity of a prince emboldened him.
“What spells… ah, could it be…”
Hestia’s neatly arched brows knitted briefly as a sudden assumption flashed through her mind.
If this wasn’t the first time Felix had snooped in her quarters, there was a high chance he discovered her relationship with El.
That the Empress recognized it… the ointment given by Hannah, and the accident with Lorina just prior.
Finally, all the pieces fit. Hestia understood why Felix had confronted her so aggressively.
Of course, she had her pardon, so even if it were proven she was a witch now, she would face no punishment.
“But that’s a different matter.”
She recalled the fear, the heartache, the needless farewell she suffered because of his threats and the rumors. She shivered at the memory.
Though she had gained something—her feelings for Terhan—it was a separate issue.
“Hm. How should I repay you for this?”
Hestia stared clearly into his murky crimson eyes. Her gaze, cornering Felix, sparkled with the cold clarity of the dawn.
As the excitement of the sword tournament waned, the Emperor’s failing health became a hushed secret spreading quietly.
“Apologies, Your Majesty, but no one is allowed to enter.”
Outside the Emperor’s chamber, Chief Steward Heron bowed deeply, blocking someone’s path.
“Step aside.”
Despite this, the elegant voice carried an unyielding warning.
Her golden hair shimmered with scattered jewels. Even those who worshiped the sun god could not help but admire her noble radiance.
The red velvet dress, the same color as her eyes, flared around her as she straightened her posture. She carried the dignity befitting an Empress.
“My apologies.”
But Heron did not yield.
“Step aside. How dare you block anyone.”
The Empress ignored him and opened the door herself. Even the guards at the entrance could not stop her.
Only Heron, expression unreadable, followed the trace of her passage. Shortly after, the door shut behind her.
The Empress strode directly to the large, round bed without hesitation.
“…I know you are awake. You understand why I have come, do you not?”
Her cold gaze fell on the Emperor lying there, eyes closed, breathing softly.
“….”
At last, the Emperor’s golden eyes slowly opened.
“You are not well, yet the Crown Prince must be raised. Why prevent even a meeting of the nobles?”
“This is not a matter for the Empress.”
The Emperor blinked slowly and leaned back against his bed.
“Not a matter for the Empress… when it affects the future of the Empire, who else should be involved?”
Yet he offered no further words and drank from a cup of water beside him.
The Empress’ gaze lingered briefly on the empty cup but her voice remained cold.
“The entire Empire is abuzz. They say Your Majesty’s health is grave. The people and nobles are anxious.”
“….”
“We must convene a council and vote. There’s no need for a third competition. With each prince having won once, wouldn’t that be a fair vote?”
“…Empress, now… cough! Hrk!”
The Emperor tried to speak but a sudden coughing fit silenced him.
The Empress’ lips twitched faintly as she observed him.
“Please do not doubt my loyalty to the Empire, Your Majesty.”
She picked up a handkerchief from the bedside table and placed it gently across the Emperor’s lap. She moved to wipe the blood from his lips, but…
Thwack!
“Stand back.”
The Emperor roughly pushed her hand away and decisively commanded the attendants to leave.
“…The council will convene eventually. There’s no need to struggle, Your Majesty.”
The Empress smirked faintly, as if she had expected this, and rose gracefully.
“We shall meet at the Crown Prince’s investiture. Until then, take care of yourself.”
She unfurled her dress elegantly, bowed slightly, and left the Emperor’s room with cold composure.
“…Truly pathetic.”
After her departure, a weary, self-mocking voice broke the silence.
“You are doing more than enough, Your Majesty.”
From somewhere in the room came a familiar voice, immediately countering him.
“Do you truly think so?”
Just by hearing the voice, Casios knew who it was. Few could enter his room unannounced.
Without turning, Casios closed his eyes, as if he had no strength to open them.
