Chapter 80…………………….
For a brief moment, the wide hall fell into a deathly silence.
The first to break it was the Grand Duchess.
It was as if her earlier quarrel and humiliation at the hands of the Empress had never happened.
With a radiant smile, she approached me and offered her congratulations.
“Congratulations, Your Highness the Consort.”
“Thank you, Grand Duchess.”
Her convincing performance was a great help.
‘Thanks to her, I succeeded in baiting the Empress.’
Naturally, as the leader of the Western nobility, she had overseen the paperwork for entering the palace and even directed the body inspection herself.
And yet, the reason we deliberately provoked the Empress into questioning my qualifications as Crown Princess was simple.
‘Because only if the Empress raged that much would it serve as undeniable justification.’
Treason is a dangerous pretext, powerful but perilous.
If it fails, the one who raises the accusation must suffer the consequences.
The Empress had tried to brand me a traitor, but when the truth was revealed, she would inevitably face the backlash.
Starting with her, the Western nobles followed suit, swarming me with greetings of congratulations.
In essence, they were celebrating my victory.
“Congratulations, Your Highness the Consort.”
“Best wishes.”
“I hope my daughter may be of service to you.”
The last to speak was Marquis Solene.
Since I would now be managing the inner palace, he clearly wished for me to look after his granddaughter.
‘I’m sorry, Marquis. Josefin already has another role to play.’
But of course, I couldn’t say that aloud. I only replied with a vague smile.
The Empress and Evangeline could only stare blankly as the Western nobles surged in between us, offering their congratulations.
Soon, even the central “bats,” who had been swayed by the Empress’s words, returned noisily, fluttering toward me.
“Your Highness the Consort! Congratulations. I am of the Milkena Count’s household…”
“It is an honor to meet the Consort, blessed directly by Artanus!”
“Please allow me to offer my respects!”
Pressed forward by the surging crowd, the Empress and Evangeline vanished from my sight.
Of course, this was not their complete exit.
‘I’m not planning to end things so easily either.’
For my revenge had only just begun.
Today, Hylia was acknowledged as Crown Princess, and it was clear she had emerged as a true power within the imperial palace.
The nobles flipped sides as easily as turning a hand.
The Empress, staring at this in a daze, slowly turned her head.
There stood the Emperor, his expression calm.
She looked down at the crumpled paper in her hand, stamped with a seal.
A golden dragon spreading its wings — the unmistakable imperial seal.
The very seal now resting on the Emperor’s finger.
A treasure of the Imperial Family, enchanted so that none but the Emperor himself could use it.
The presence of that seal could only mean one thing.
The Empress approached him and asked — no, confirmed:
“…So you knew. You knew everything from the beginning, and even helped her.”
That the Emperor had been aware of all this in advance, and had given his approval.
And that he had kept it hidden from her.
She was pointing that out.
‘No, even before that… when he lied to me and came to this banquet, from that very moment he had already…’
The Emperor nodded.
“That’s right.”
“What is that girl to you, that you would go this far?”
“If you hadn’t rushed to drive out the young daughter-in-law, none of this would have happened.”
Then he turned coldly and gave his command:
“Return and remain in seclusion until further orders.”
“……”
“Walking out on your own will be better for your honor than being dragged.”
Without looking back, the Emperor walked away.
Just as Isabel had seen when she first entered the hall—
He went to the side of the small girl with pink hair.
And in his eyes was a tenderness he had never once shown Isabel, nor her daughter.
Some twenty years ago, when Isabel had first seen him, she had fallen in love.
When she desired to have him, she learned not only love but malice as well.
A jealousy as black and molten as lava.
It was he who had taught her that.
After Roxeline died, and she became Empress, that malice had quieted somewhat.
But now, it surged violently once more.
‘So even after ten years by your side, I was never your wife. Not even for a single moment.’
She had known this might happen, and yet she had never been able to let go.
But now, the lingering attachment inside her was entirely consumed by hatred and vengeance.
‘I’ll make you regret it. I’ll take everything from you.’
Isabel flung away the crumpled paper and looked at her empty hands.
Her nails had pierced her skin, leaving her palms bloody.
Hands that grasped nothing — shattered and pitiful, just like herself.
Behind her, Evangeline’s voice called.
“Mother. We must withdraw for now.”
Gently, Evangeline tugged at her mother’s wrist.
And so, with only empty hands, Isabel was led out of the hall by her daughter.
It was a pitiful procession, with no one following them but her daughter and attendants, no one sparing them a glance.
But Isabel still had her hands.
Even if they were empty, her nails remained — sharp enough to tear into her enemies.
And they would all come to realize that.
The banquet at Artanus Hall concluded in undeniable triumph.
I had not merely succeeded in being recognized as Crown Princess through the banquet.
I had also lured Empress Isabel into a trap, forced her into seclusion, and seized authority over the inner palace.
‘Anything that enters my hands — I will never let it be taken away.’
It must have been the exact opposite of what the public expected.
After the banquet ended, the Crown Prince’s palace was filled with festivity.
When Arpad and I returned, congratulations poured in from all sides.
“Congratulations, Your Highness!”
“My goodness, I saw it myself — Lord Artanus appeared and bestowed his blessing!”
“Word of Your Highness is spreading across the Empire!”
“I’m so moved, I could cry!”
Linked arm-in-arm with Arpad, I accepted the greetings of the palace staff as we made our way to the bedchamber.
I forced myself to smile and reply, but I remembered none of what I said.
I was simply too exhausted, as if my body were melting away.
It was only natural.
From the moment of my return to the past, I had not rested for even a second.
All for this very moment.
And now, the banquet was over.
As I left Artanus Hall and returned to the Crown Prince’s palace, everything felt unreal, as though I were walking on clouds.
My strength drained away.
The only reason I endured was because I clung to Arpad.
I couldn’t collapse — so I barely held on.
I managed to maintain a calm facade before the nobles and attendants, forcing a smile.
But my limit came at the very door of the bedchamber.
As soon as I saw it, a wave of relief swept over me, followed by a dizzying vertigo.
My legs gave way, and I nearly collapsed forward.
“…Ah!”
I would have fallen — if not for Arpad.
His strong arm caught me around the waist.
“Are you all right?”
His voice, uncharacteristically shaken, sounded strangely distant.
My vision blurred; I could no longer make out that annoyingly handsome face.
Only his deep red eyes remained vivid.
Like the monster made from his corpse that I had once encountered in the Tower during my third life.
But strangely…
Back then, those red eyes had terrified me.
Now, they made me feel safe.
My feeble hand reached out, trying to touch his face.
But it kept missing.
A heat-filled voice slipped out:
“Why are you…”
Honestly, I had no idea what I was even saying.
Arpad, his face showing rare, genuine panic, called my name.
“Hylia?!”
‘Why do you look so anxious? It doesn’t suit you…’
That question never made it past my lips.
Because that was the moment my consciousness cut off completely.
“HYLIA!!!”
I thought I heard Arpad’s horrified cry.
But sinking into deep darkness, I could no longer recognize anything.
