Chapter 15
The Empress sat at the table, scanning through documents. At the sound of the door opening, she looked up—and when she spotted Raphaella, her eyes narrowed.
She had thought a maid was bringing fresh tea, but instead Raphaella appeared holding a wooden club. Her displeasure deepened, and seeing Raphaella’s attire made her frown even more.
“What brings you here all of a sudden? And dressed in such a ridiculous way.”
“I have something to say.”
After the curt reply, Raphaella naturally took the seat across from the Empress and set the club down on the table with a dull thud.
The Empress did not bother to hide her irritation. With a face as cold as frost, she spoke.
“You still haven’t learned even a hint of proper decorum.”
“Oh. If it bothers you that much, then you can relax too. I’ll pretend I don’t notice.”
“Hah.”
At Raphaella’s unexpected remark, the Empress let out a hollow laugh.
She had sensed at the banquet a few days ago that Raphaella was acting strangely, but she had assumed it was temporary. Even when she heard Setrin’s words, she hadn’t taken them seriously. After all, she thought it was likely that her weak daughter had simply frightened herself.
But now, facing her alone like this, she realized Setrin had been right.
Raphaella had gone mad.
“Ordinarily, such insolence would be enough to have your head cut off. But I’ll be lenient—just this once.”
Was the madness caused by the poison she herself had fed her? Or, as Setrin feared, had Raphaella gained some powerful backing? Or was it something else entirely? It warranted observation.
“So. What is the reason you came to see me without an appointment?”
“It’s nothing major.”
“Go on.”
“I need to get some money. A lot of it.”
“…What?”
The Empress had been bracing herself for some loaded remark, but the completely unexpected demand struck her head-on, leaving her thoroughly bewildered.
“Money?”
“I’m a princess, aren’t I? Of course I should have assets I can use. Hand them over.”
“…….”
The absurd turn of events left the Empress staring, unable to respond right away.
Was this a declaration that she had powerful backing now?
A sudden need for money could only mean one thing—expanding her influence. And to say it so boldly, directly to the Empress herself… did that mean she had a force behind her large enough that there would be no repercussions?
Who could possibly wield that kind of influence? No noble would ever side with such a half-witted princess.
A sudden bolt of anxiety struck the Empress.
Could it be… the Emperor is encouraging a war between siblings? After suppressing her so harshly on the surface? …No. If the Emperor were backing her, Raphaella wouldn’t be coming to me for money.
The Empress clenched her hand tightly beneath the table, then scrutinized Raphaella from head to toe.
That carefree expression. That insolent attitude, as if nothing that happens matters. Those arrogant eyes, looking down on me as though I were beneath her. Perhaps even this demand for money is nothing but a ruse.
She became certain: the Emperor was behind this.
He must be scheming to incite a fratricidal conflict. It was just like when he had seduced her back when she was an innocent young noblewoman. He lived as though driven by impulse, yet from time to time revealed a dark, unfathomable inner self.
The man she had loved had changed completely after ascending the throne.
He took for granted everything she and her family had sacrificed. Of course, it wasn’t as though she had received nothing in return. Though he had been doubtful, he ultimately approved Setrin as the heir.
That was why she had endured.
His constant complaints about having no sons, the countless concubines he kept, the contempt in his eyes when he looked at her aging face—she let it all slide.
But this was different.
If the Emperor intended to use Raphaella to shatter the foundation she had spent her entire life building, she would never stand by and allow it.
How dare he, after all the patience I’ve shown!
Her teeth ground with rage, but she took a light, steady breath and maintained a calm exterior. In the warlike life of the imperial palace, controlling one’s expression was as natural to the Empress as breathing.
But it didn’t work on Raphaella.
Raphaella observed everything—the Empress’s deep contemplation, the moment of sudden realization, and the way her gaze transformed into blazing fury.
Raphaella stretched out her hand, cutting off the Empress’s train of thought.
“What are you doing? I said give me money.”
Irritated and bored of waiting, Raphaella pressed her. The Empress cleared her throat and replied.
“Ahem. Very well. You are a princess, so there is money you may use, and assets allotted to you.”
“Hurry up and give it to me. I’m busy.”
The Empress interpreted Raphaella’s “busy” as busy building a force to threaten you and Setrin on the Emperor’s orders, and her anger flared.
Still, she remembered her position and dignity. After taking a sip of tea, she continued calmly.
“However, the imperial family is not so generous as to hand over assets to a princess who does nothing. Especially as the one in charge of internal finances, I cannot release funds without proper justification.”
“Huh?”
Raphaella’s eyebrows snapped together. She had wondered why the Empress was taking so long to think—apparently, she’d just been looking for an excuse.
“So. You don’t want to give me my share, so you’re making excuses?”
“Excuses? How crude.”
“And you’re not crude? She’s your stepdaughter too. If you hide your daughter’s assets like this, that’s not a good look.”
“Your assets are still being transparently managed by the Finance Department. Why would I embezzle a child’s paltry funds, and for what?”
“Then hand them over. Those ‘paltry funds.’”
“Haha.”
The Empress finally burst out laughing.
Raphaella, who had clearly gone completely mad, and the Emperor, who trusted her enough to set this in motion—both were laughable, pitiable, and at the same time, utterly contemptible.
Then a good idea crossed the Empress’s mind.
She glanced at the documents she had been reading before Raphaella arrived—petitions sent in from all over the empire. One particularly troublesome, and particularly dangerous, petition came to mind, and a smile spread across her lips.
“If you fulfill your role as a princess, then I will allow you to use the assets you possess as one. This would be a good opportunity for you to develop some awareness of your status as royalty.”
She pulled a single document from the stack and slid it toward Raphaella.
“What do you think? It seems like a fitting task for you. Care to try?”
With an irritated expression, Raphaella snatched the document and looked it over. The title at the very top caught her eye.
“Emergency Relief Request for the Southern Coastal Region Following Monster Attacks.”
The south…
It was the closest region to the imperial capital among the locations where the fragments of the mirror had been marked on the map. An idea that could kill two birds with one stone flashed through Raphaella’s mind.
She grinned and nodded.
“Fine. But if you try to change your tune later, be prepared to hold a funeral.”
“So ill-mannered.”
The Empress and Raphaella smiled at one another, each turning over entirely different plans in their minds.
When the Empress returned to her reception room after the weekly meeting, Setrin was waiting there, her face stiff with tension. As if she had expected this, the Empress deftly dismissed the maids under the pretense of having tea prepared.
The moment the maids left, Setrin could no longer hold back.
“Mother! You’re sending Raphaella?”
“Sit down first.”
“Choose another princess instead. The south is notoriously troublesome, and if Raphaella somehow succeeds at the relief effort and gains popularity—”
“Sit, I said.”
“She’s been quietly rotting away all this time, and now she’s suddenly acting suspiciously. And instead of stopping her, you’re setting the stage for her!”
“Setrin Henten.”
At the Empress’s cold gaze and low, heavy voice, Setrin fell silent, though she couldn’t quite hide her sulky expression.
The Empress clicked her tongue softly in annoyance, then crossed the room with graceful steps and sat on the sofa. Closing and opening her eyes slowly, as if languid, she spoke.
“As you know, the southern region is a real headache.”
“…Yes.”
Setrin answered quietly, her head bowed. The Empress continued.
“For several years now, monsters have suddenly begun attacking along the coastline. And we still haven’t identified their pattern or cause, which makes them a serious threat to the empire. Until now, Count Sester, the local lord, has managed to hold them back—but this time the damage is unusually severe. It seems it will require a great deal of time and manpower.”
“That’s why you’ve always sent other nobles instead of me. I know.”
“Yes, that’s right. I sent you to temples or orphanages close to the capital instead. Do you know why?”
