Chapter 34
Since the ownership of the Greer Empire’s Imperial Palace changed, there hadn’t been a single day without trouble. The emperor’s siblings—the princes and princesses—behaved outrageously almost daily, living lives that were little better than imprisonment.
Because of this, the palace’s direct attendants had to feel as if they were walking on thin ice every day. Although these were the children of the previous emperor, once they realized there was nothing left to gain from these hostages, the rate of palace staff resignations skyrocketed.
However, not everyone could simply turn their backs and hand in their resignation. Most of the servants, who had families to take care of or unstable living conditions, had no choice but to endure their master’s irritability with a heavy heart.
Amid all this, there were some who drew the envy of all other servants. These were the attendants of the Second Princess, Gabriella.
“No matter what, the fact that the emperor himself is arranging the engagement of a border noble directly in the palace… surely, there’s no doubt now that the emperor’s closest confidant is Count Failon,” one of the attendants whispered.
Princess Gabriella didn’t even glance at them. She stared with her deeply calm eyes at the servants moving noisily through her bedroom, daring to interrupt her space.
As the eldest daughter of the empress and recognized for her legitimacy, Gabriella had once carried herself with pride. But after her chance to be engaged to the Astrid family was stolen by the Third Princess and eventually, the family of her would-be fiancé collapsed, she had gone silent and withdrawn.
Even when her siblings, remembering her as the most charismatic, tried secretly through the servants to incite rebellion, she responded with vacant eyes, showing no reaction whatsoever.
This was why other servants envied Gabriella’s attendants. A master so quiet and gentle that she seemed almost nonexistent was, in the chaos of these days, the perfect superior.
Because of this, her attendants sometimes spoke freely among themselves, barely conscious of their mistress’s presence.
“Well, maybe it’s to get closer to the temple without appearing too obvious?” one whispered.
“Even though other new nobles oppose him, he doesn’t even seem to listen. Whether His Majesty is aiming at the temple or the northern nobles, whatever it is, it’s unusual—and of course, everyone is jealous,” another replied, forgetting that their mistress could hear everything perfectly well.
“Recently, he even dismissed Duke Gustav, who was practically the top contributor to the throne usurpation…”
Gabriella watched their busy chatter as she quietly swatted at dust, swallowing a bitter smile inside.
In her eyes, Azer needed no adjectives like “unusual.” He had a habit of acting on whims, constantly changing his attitude.
One didn’t have to look far to see this—he had even driven away Teresia, the sibling he seemed to cherish most.
Gabriella had secretly admired Lord Astrid, whom she had believed would marry her. But what shocked her more than her broken engagement was that Teresia had been married off to a nouveau-riche who bought her title.
“Hmph, our lady seems as calm as ever in bed today,” a voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts.
“Ah…! Y-Your Majesty!”
The unfamiliar voice was not unwelcome, yet it startled her. The attendants, startled as well, lowered their heads in sudden respect. Gabriella scanned them with indifferent eyes—eyes that soon fell upon Azer, who could silence even the fearful with a single gesture.
“Oh dear. You’ve been hiding in your bedroom all day and not even looking in a mirror? Your face has suffered quite a bit.”
Azer approached Gabriella, who leaned against the head of her bed, feigning concern. The bed sank under his weight as he settled beside her.
“No matter how comfortable you find staying idle, how long do you plan to wallow in this state…? You were once praised as a princess fit to inherit the throne. Even the late emperor would rise in shock to see you never leave your bed. It pains me greatly as well,” he said, still sharp-tongued.
In the past, Gabriella would have openly scoffed. She had been the one to mock Azer, whose origins were unknown, more than anyone in the palace.
But now, she maintained a blank, unfeeling stare. Azer, seemingly expecting some reaction, continued speaking regardless.
“You may have heard, but next month, there will be an engagement ceremony in the palace between a saintess and one of my confidants. I’ve personally come to deliver the invitation.”
Gabriella didn’t lift her hands from beneath the covers. She stared blankly as Azer tossed the invitation onto her bed with a faint smile.
“As you know, I have no empress. It would be nice if you attended with me.”
“…What about my elder sister?” Gabriella’s lips parted, her voice cracking slightly after a long silence. Azer’s eyes widened in mock surprise, his face almost innocent-looking—so infuriatingly so that Gabriella’s gaze narrowed sharply.
“I didn’t expect you to wonder about the First Princess. You two weren’t on good terms, were you?”
“That’s not surprising. What I want to ask is—how did you even find out? A princess hiding in her room, neglected by her servants, hears news that the First Princess has gone missing… where did that come from?”
“Well, even the emperor can’t have everything go his way. Are there just one or two rats in the palace?”
“Tell me. Did you… kill my sister?”
Trying to sound calm, her voice betrayed her with trembling. Gabriella clenched her hands beneath the covers. The emotion that gripped her was closer to anger than fear. Even when her parents were powerless against the hands of villains, even when her siblings were imprisoned, she had never fully understood this suffocating emotion.
But now, with the target of her fury standing right in front of her, her words would not be stopped.
“I didn’t want to be curious. I wanted to know why Your Majesty had to go that far, why we ended up like this. I had too many questions, but I couldn’t ask. But I can ask you—because it’s all your doing.”
The audacity of her words caused a pause in the bedroom. Azer, however, smiled, as if pleased by Gabriella’s reaction.
“I was worried you’d gone mute. I see now I needn’t have worried. You even wonder about the whereabouts of the First Princess, whom you’d normally ignore for being of concubine birth. That deserves praise. People do change as they age, I suppose.”
Gabriella’s expression cracked. Azer scoffed lightly at the sight of her shame and continued in a casual tone.
“Still, compared to Teresia, you’ve shown some growth. She was too simple and foolish; it was hard to have a real conversation with her.”
Gabriella closed her eyes tightly, overwhelmed by despair beyond anger.
“If you obediently attend Count Failon’s engagement, you’ll see the First Princess. Killing her? That’s a horrid misunderstanding. Now that I am emperor, it’s time to show some mercy, isn’t it?”
“…Why obsess over that engagement? Didn’t you detest the temple?”
“I can’t eliminate it, so what choice do I have? Failon is loyal, and I trust him. If necessary, I can tear it apart even just before the wedding. The plan is already well-prepared.”
Gabriella shivered at the way he smiled and whispered teasingly. In disbelief, she muttered,
“Could it be… that Teresia’s exile to the North was…”
“Hmm? Ah, the rumor has already reached your bedroom, has it? That the emperor’s dog picked up the abandoned princess,” Azer said with a sly grin.
