#66. The Tyrant and the Strongest Female Knight’s Secret Conversation
I had forgotten for a moment.
There was another reason I could never accept Douglas’s heart.
The face of the woman who had loved Douglas all her life flashed before my eyes—
My favorite, Claudia.
Because of me, she was imprisoned.
And while she was confined, she couldn’t carry out her revolution.
A sharp guilt and a twisted sense of relief tangled inside me.
“Hopefully, Nisa delivered the letter safely. I don’t know if Dame Claudia will listen to what I said, though.”
“She’s stubborn, but she’s not foolish. She’ll understand your sincerity, Lady Elisabeth.”
“I hope so.”
Escaping was easy.
With money and magic, even easier.
I hadn’t just been sitting idly in that Canary Room, wallowing in despair.
I had calculated everything with a colder, sharper mind than ever before.
After all, I was not someone who ever took a losing deal.
‘This escape—at the cost of my reputation and a fugitive’s title—wasn’t done lightly. I’ve caused trouble for many people. I deserve compensation. At least tenfold.’
Before escaping, I wrote three letters.
One to Nikolai.
Another to Douglas.
And the last to Claudia.
I trusted that Nisa, whose network stretched across the palace, would deliver them safely.
I didn’t know that my letter would throw Claudia into such deep turmoil.
Nor did I know that Nikolai’s obsession would far exceed anything I could have imagined.
After receiving Elisabeth’s letter, Claudia couldn’t focus on meditation.
If only she had the first edition of The Red Star of the Empire—her treasure—she might have been able to calm herself.
Being dragged straight from the dueling grounds, she hadn’t been able to read Douglas’s novel, and that frustrated her more than she’d admit.
To clear her mind, she began doing push-ups.
Sweat dripped from her forehead.
Her mind was still a tangled mess.
No matter how many times she read the letter, she couldn’t tell where the truth ended and the lies began.
That secretive woman wearing Elisabeth’s face…
Was there yet another scheme hidden behind this letter?
To Dame Claudia,
By the time you read this letter, I will no longer be in the imperial palace.
I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but I must explain why I was forced to leave this way.
First. I stand accused of several crimes.
I did not poison His Highness the Crown Prince.
I did not orchestrate my own kidnapping.
I did not attempt to assassinate the Crown Prince.
I am innocent of all these charges.
I have merely become the scapegoat and target of the true criminal, and of those who seek to eliminate me.
If I remain near His Majesty, the Emperor’s authority will crumble.
I do not wish for my presence to turn him into a tyrant in the eyes of others.
Second. I possess evidence of the true culprit’s identity.
However, it is not yet complete. I cannot act rashly.
Our enemies are powerful.
If I flee, they will become drunk on victory.
They will pressure the Emperor to name an Empress quickly.
Factions will split, and war will brew.
But soon, they will grow careless—
and that is when I will strike back.
Until then, I will prepare thoroughly.
Third. The enemies within are far more dangerous than those outside.
The negligence among the Imperial Guard has reached an intolerable level.
Too many are colluding with high nobles, chasing profit.
We need a complete purge.
My escape will give His Majesty a perfect justification for such an action.
All the traitors within the palace must be rooted out.
This, I believe, is for the good of both the Empire and its people.
Forgive me, Dame Claudia, but you were my proxy.
Many in court already dislike you.
They will use your connection to me as an excuse to attack you.
Perhaps some have already approached you with dangerous proposals.
I offer you one as well.
Join hands with me, Claudia—
Let us bring down those who threaten the Empire’s future for their own gain.
Would that not be a revolution in itself?
A revolution from within.
A revolution in which only the blood of the wicked will flow.
I hope to build the nation you dream of—together.
Sincerely,
Elisabeth
Two days after Claudia requested a private audience, Nikolai visited her prison cell.
“Your Majesty,” she bowed.
“You look healthy. That’s fortunate.”
“Thanks to Your Majesty’s particular care.”
“I needed to keep an eye on certain movements.”
“The enemy’s movements—or mine?”
“Both,” Nikolai said casually.
It meant he could imprison her again anytime he pleased.
Even understanding the threat behind his words, Claudia remained calm.
“Are you pursuing Elisabeth?”
“Word travels fast for someone behind bars.”
“The palace is in chaos.”
“I’ve deployed five units of twenty cavalry each—our best knights lead them.”
“And yet, no results?”
Nikolai’s silence was an answer.
Claudia looked him directly in the eyes—without permission.
It was a dangerous act, bold enough to cost her life.
But in her clear blue eyes, there was no submission—only pride and steel.
Curiously, Nikolai found he didn’t dislike that gaze.
‘It’s risky for the Empire’s strongest knight to lack loyalty… but she’s no schemer.’
He had wanted to meet Claudia—
because of Elisabeth.
Elisabeth had always feared someone she called “Ladia.”
But when he investigated, he found the two women weren’t close enough for nicknames.
If anything, they seemed to hate each other.
And yet, Elisabeth had chosen Claudia as her representative in the duel.
He remembered those shining black eyes,
and her rose-tinted cheeks.
Elisabeth had stomped her feet like a girl meeting her storybook prince.
That day, Nikolai had realized something—
a man could be jealous of a woman, too.
“Elisabeth must have had help,” Claudia said.
“Your friend Douglas has vanished.”
“I see.”
“You’re not surprised?”
“I know his character well.”
Claudia frowned for the first time.
A fleeting thought crossed Nikolai’s mind—
perhaps Douglas meant more to her than mere friendship.
The Empire’s greatest knight and a novelist… an odd pairing.
And yet, the subtle tremor in Claudia’s eyes felt familiar—
as if he were looking into a mirror.
“Assisting a fugitive carries a minimum sentence of five years. Possibly exile to the northern mines.”
“If he aided a true criminal, yes.”
“So you believe Elisabeth is innocent?”
“I don’t trust her.”
“Then what?”
“I only know that she’s clever enough to toy with the hunters themselves.”
“Far cleverer than those swine blinded by power,” Nikolai said, laughing lowly.
Claudia gave him a questioning look.
“Are you all right, Your Majesty? Your lover has escaped, after all.”
“You think I’d start a war and drown the Empire in blood?”
“My apologies.”
“No need. I’m surprised myself at how calm I am.”
“May I ask why?”
“You’re quite curious for a knight.”
“How can a seeker of truth refrain from asking?”
“Truth, is it?”
Nikolai smirked.
Claudia’s honesty was unlike Elisabeth’s or Kares’s—it was refreshingly blunt.
She didn’t bow and scrape before the Emperor.
She faced him as one human to another.
And strangely, that didn’t offend him.
‘Why am I drawn to insolent women? Not that I see Claudia as a woman, but still…’
He swallowed a bitter laugh.
Claudia spoke again.
“You didn’t plan her escape together, then.”
“If I had known, I would’ve stopped her. But…”
“But?”
“Elisabeth told me she would come back.”
Nikolai had read and reread the last lines of her letter:
“Lastly, please give my regards to Franz.
Tell him to stay healthy until I return.
I’m sorry.
I’ll miss you.
Maybe… very much.”
If not for those words, he might have lost all reason.
He would’ve slaughtered every knight who failed to catch her, tortured her maids and guards—
Crushed Douglas and his family beyond repair.
But—
“Elisabeth misses me. She’s only gone because she has no choice.”
“You trust her?”
“She’s not a woman who breaks her promises.”
“…”
“And I’m not a man who doubts the woman he loves. Though I have no intention of waiting idly.”
“You’ll chase her yourself, then.”
“Not chase—welcome her back.”
Claudia’s blue eyes widened slightly.
Perhaps she understood something then.
In a soft murmur, she said, almost to herself—
“Your Majesty truly… loves Elisabeth.”
Nikolai finished her thought aloud.
“I do. I love her.”
Claudia flinched, her shoulders trembling.
For some reason, her reaction amused him.
“You wanted the truth, so here it is. I, Nikolai Rob Yevrey, love Elisabeth Emster with all my heart—as a man loves a woman.”
The word love left his lips, and his chest swelled as if it would burst.
His longing for her roared through him like fire.
Why had he hidden it until now?
Why had he hesitated?
He could give his life for her—
Nothing else mattered.
“I didn’t think I’d confess it to you of all people. Consider it practice. Does that answer satisfy you?”
“Yes… Your Majesty.”
“Then judge the rest as you will.”
“I am honored.”
“No need for that. I have an order for you.”
“Command me.”
Claudia knelt on one knee.
Nikolai’s expression hardened—back to that of an Emperor.
She wasn’t the most loyal vassal,
but unlike the parasites who flattered the powerful, she never betrayed her sword.
To the Empire’s sharpest blade, he said—
“Claudia Roselois, you are hereby appointed Captain of the Imperial Guard. Assume your post immediately.”
The pursuit parties were everywhere.
Douglas and I decided to leave the capital as soon as possible.
The rented carriage he’d found rattled side to side.
For some reason, I couldn’t stop laughing.
“My portrait will be posted on every street corner. With a fat bounty attached.”
“Then mine will hang beside yours. I wonder how much my bounty will be?”
“The higher, the better. If I go broke, I’ll just sell you off, Douglas.”
“Do you think I’d let that happen? You’re the real ringleader, Lady Elisabeth.”
Douglas was dressed like a shabby coachman.
I’d shed my cumbersome gown and slipped into black trousers and a dark brown jacket.
To my eyes, he looked almost like a boy.
My bright red hair was tightly bound and tucked under a hunting cap.
He didn’t know that every time I wore it, shadows fell over my face—
and I hoped he never would.
There were things I couldn’t easily tell him.
But in the cramped carriage, there was no escaping Douglas’s gaze.
“Elisabeth,” he said softly, leaning closer,
“What are you thinking about?”
Instinctively, I turned my head away.
His scent—familiar now—was far too close.
