Chapter 10
“Dante Hamelson.”
The chief priest’s top disciple and successor.
In The Second Empress, he had only a minor role—a mysterious blonde who stayed by the chief priest’s side.
When the conflict between the chief priest’s temple and the imperial court intensified, Dante suddenly disappeared. Thanks to that, he had avoided Leto’s wrath.
In the original story, Dante had no connection to Empress Livia. Yet here he was, caught looking at a botanical guidebook.
He seemed genuinely interested in the book.
“Quite an interesting book you’re reading,” he said.
“I’m preparing for the upcoming tea party. I’m considering planting some new species in the garden,” I replied.
“Plants for a tea party… How meticulous of you.”
He smiled faintly, a smile that was impossible to read and somehow left a lingering unease.
“Well, if that’s the case, I’ll continue browsing the book.”
Feigning indifference, I flipped through the guide. Dante loitered around me.
“….”
“….”
“…Do you have business here?” I finally asked.
“I’m honored to meet Empress Livia in person after hearing only rumors. I am a priest, and you… you have been resurrected by the goddess’s grace.”
Though he was flattering me, there was an undertone of impertinence. Did he dare this because he trusted the chief priest?
He was not someone I could tolerate for long. I had to be blunt.
“Whatever your reason, I find your presence uncomfortable. Please leave. Otherwise, I’ll come back myself.”
I closed the guidebook. Only then did Dante look flustered and lower his head.
“My apologies. I should have stepped aside immediately. Please forgive my rudeness.”
“….”
“Actually, I came to deliver this to you, Empress.”
He withdrew something from the inner pocket of his priest’s robe: a white envelope with gold trim.
“Forgive me for delaying the main reason for my visit. This is a letter from my master, the chief priest himself.”
A letter from the chief priest?
“Was this sent to me?”
“Strictly speaking, it’s for you—and you alone, Empress.”
So it was meant to be kept secret from Leto.
I accepted the letter and tucked it away. Curiosity burned within me, but it was better not to open it in front of Dante.
“Then, until we meet again, Your Majesty.”
He bowed politely, smiling. I nodded once in return. He left the library, and moments later, Parham entered.
“I brought paper and a pen. Unfortunately, the pen ran out of ink, so it took a while.”
“Sir Parham, did you see anyone on your way here?”
“Hmm? No, I didn’t. Was someone there?”
“…Never mind. Let’s continue with the guidebook.”
I reopened the guidebook. First, I needed to find indigo.
After a while, I closed the book with disappointment. Indigo was nowhere to be found.
“Empress, are you looking for a plant that isn’t here?” Parham asked, trying to appear calm. Seeing the rash spreading across his face made me feel uneasy.
Still, it was too early to give up.
“Sir Parham, you said this guide isn’t perfect, right? Could we check if there are plants not listed here?”
“I… can look into it.”
Parham smiled reassuringly. I lightly placed my hand on his shoulder.
“All right. Let’s call it a day for now.”
By the time I returned to my office, the sun had already set. I sat down and opened the letter from the chief priest first.
The letter was written in elegant handwriting:
“Esteemed Empress Livia, I, as the head of the chief priest’s temple, request a private audience with Your Majesty. Please keep this secret from His Majesty the Emperor. I will wait for you at the temple.”
A postscript listed the desired date of the meeting. Polite on the surface, yet I could sense the priest’s self-important personality.
A private audience…
So it had come. I had known he would summon me sooner or later. The chief priest would never leave the “resurrected empress” idle; he would try to use me somehow.
Knock knock.
Startled, I quickly tucked the letter into the drawer. Madame Mare entered the office.
“Your Majesty, dinner is ready.”
“Oh… what should I do, Madame? I have so much work left today.”
I gestured toward the stack of documents on my desk. She scolded me gently, worry in her tone.
“Your Majesty, you must eat, no matter what.”
“All right, I’ll eat after finishing my work.”
“You need to eat on time. Skipping meals will harm your health.”
I had already missed dinner for several days, and it seemed Madame Mare wasn’t about to back down today.
“Please, Your Majesty, come along.”
“Just today, please?” I pleaded.
“This isn’t something to joke about. Now, come to the dining room with me.”
Madame Mare coaxed me gently. It felt exactly like a mother with her daughter, and I couldn’t help smiling.
Then—
“Why all the commotion?”
Leto must have been passing by the corridor. He entered through the half-open door.
“What’s the matter, Madame Mare?”
“Well… Your Majesty keeps skipping meals.”
It sounded like she was tattling. Would Leto even care?
But my assumption was wrong.
“Ah, I see.”
He glanced at the stack of documents on my desk and then spoke to her:
“If the Empress is busy, bring her meals here.”
“Here?” Madame Mare asked in surprise. Leto nodded silently.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After Madame Mare left, Leto approached my desk and started rifling through the papers.
“Seems you haven’t done any work today.”
“I was about to start. I had a previous engagement until just now.”
“I see.”
He slammed the papers down and called out:
“Uton!”
Uton hurried in.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Move all these documents to my office.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I turned to Leto:
“Your Majesty, I can do it. It will take some time, though.”
“You’re not expected to work while starving.” He said bluntly.
“But…”
If I don’t do it, he’ll have to handle everything himself.
“But?”
“…Never mind.”
I yielded. After all, he still held my life in his hands. What choice did I have?
Everything then proceeded smoothly. The papers disappeared, a massive table was brought in, and a feast was laid out.
“You’ll sit there,” Leto said, pointing to the opposite seat as he took his place. Only one set of utensils was laid out.
“And you, Your Majesty?”
“I’m not foolish enough to wander hungry at this hour.”
Fine. I smiled half in stubbornness.
“Thank you for your concern, but I can eat alone.”
“Are you sure? Not leaving?”
Apparently, he wasn’t leaving. I didn’t understand why he insisted on watching someone else eat, especially when he was so busy himself.
In the end, I ate in front of him. I thought I had no appetite, but the food went down easily. It was delicious, and apparently, I had been extremely hungry.
After finishing most of my meal, Leto asked:
“Parham visited you today?”
So he was still being informed of my movements. Well, fine. I wasn’t doing anything incriminating.
“Yes. We looked through the botanical guide together for ingredients for medicine.”
“And… did you find it?”
“No.”
“I see.”
Why that serious reaction? I expected disappointment or mockery, so I added awkwardly:
“I think we’ll need another approach. I instructed Sir Parham to check, but if that fails, we may need to search the forest ourselves.”
Leto propped his chin in his hand and stared at me, almost curious.
“Why the urgency?”
“Huh?”
“As if your life depended on it.”
Well, it did. If I became useless, who knew what he might do.
He looked at my expression and chuckled.
“You still think I could kill you, don’t you?”
“I can’t deny it.”
“I don’t like changing people’s minds, but I suppose this one I could try.”
So, for now, he had no intention of killing me. That alone was a relief.
I had something to tell him.
“The chief priest sent me a letter.”
“The chief priest?”
He frowned noticeably.
“Yes. He wants to meet me at the temple in secret, without your knowledge.”
“How insolent. Who does he think he is, ordering the Empress around?”
“But refusing might raise suspicion. It wouldn’t make sense for the resurrected Empress to avoid the temple.”
“Then go. But…”
He paused.
“…only if you are sure he can’t manipulate you.”
“A condition?”
“Something like that. If you’re unsure, I’ll prevent contact with the chief priest.”
This once, Leto would intervene. But next time? The priest would keep trying. I didn’t want to rely on him repeatedly.
“I’ll go. I won’t be easily manipulated.”
“Good. Bring a knight with you, and if anything goes wrong, come back immediately.”
“Thank you for allowing me.”
“Though… it’s strange. If you intended to meet the priest anyway, why tell me?”
“Because, Your Majesty, we are—”
“We are?”
‘…husband and wife.’
I almost said it. It was obvious now, but I remembered something from a few days ago—when he called me “wife,” and I felt him draw closer.
So I said instead:
“…allies, and colleagues.”
His expression stiffened slightly, and he tapped the table lightly with his fingers.
“…Right. Colleagues.”
Meal finished, I wiped my mouth with a napkin. Leto remarked:
“You eat more evenly than I expected.”
“I’ve never been in a position to be picky.”
“And nothing you dislike?”
“Even if I did, I had to eat it.”
I was from an orphanage, and I had matured quickly. Complaining about food wasn’t an option.
Suddenly, he grew silent. I sipped water and glanced at him. His gaze had turned icy.
“Why… are you like this?”
“Did he treat you that way?”
“Huh? Him?”
“You have such poor judgment of men. Disappointing.”
What misunderstanding was this? I wasn’t letting it slide this time.
“I’ll judge my men myself. Who is this ‘him’ you speak of?”
“You called for him so desperately in your sleep. Several times.”
“So… who exactly?”
“Statin, I think. A strange name.”
‘Statin?’
That’s a cholesterol-lowering drug—an enzyme extracted from blue mold.
Why was Leto even saying that?
‘…Ah, I dreamt about the lab before. Making medicine endlessly.’
Could it be…?
“Ah… hahaha!”
I burst out laughing.
I think I’m being massively misunderstood right now.
