Chapter 42
“Where is the head maid?”
The imperial knight turned his head. The sun was beginning to rise, slowly brightening the pale sky. Even though Gready had been so drunk he couldn’t stand, she had skillfully wiped his face with a warm towel, dressed him in fresh clothes, and sent him off to the palace.
“Don’t worry. He’ll sober up on the way.”
The head maid had reassured the imperial knight as if she could see the future. And just as she said, by the time they reached the imperial gates, Gready had come to his senses, changed into the clothes the head maid had prepared, and went to see the emperor.
As someone who remembered all this, the knight desperately needed her now.
“She… has resigned.”
“What?”
The knight looked around in confusion. But as the butler had said, Emma was nowhere to be seen.
“She suddenly quit? What happened?”
The knight pointed a finger as if accusing the butler, but the one who stopped him was none other than the Grand Duchess, who appeared out of nowhere.
“What’s all this commotion so early in the morning?”
Eliana had appeared with the new head maid, Sylvia, her upper body wrapped in a large shawl.
Soft sable fur swayed with her every step. Her hair was tied up in a single elegant bun, exposing her long, graceful neck.
“…This is Her Grace, the Grand Duchess of Kryber. Show proper courtesy.”
Startled, the knight snapped to his senses, flinching at the sight of Eliana’s presence. But Eliana, unwilling to wait for his scattered gaze to focus, glanced around and let out a quiet sigh.
“…It is an honor to meet you, Your Grace, Grand Duchess of Kryber.”
The knight, having been momentarily dazed by Eliana’s beauty, hastily offered his greeting. But Eliana ignored him and looked down at Gready, who was sprawled on the ground, with a look of disgust.
“Don’t tell me… he’s just getting home now?”
The knight was busy listening intently to Eliana and the butler, clearly flustered.
“But he needs to head to the palace now…”
The butler was sweating profusely, unsure of what to do.
Even in the face of the normally composed butler’s panic, Eliana remained calm. In fact, she leisurely scanned the surroundings with a frown—displaying her usual refined yet sharp demeanor.
“At this hour?”
Eliana’s gaze landed on the knight, who stood awkwardly still.
Suddenly caught in her eyes, the knight hurriedly nodded.
Later, he realized how foolish he had looked. But Eliana never looked at him again.
“What’s the reason for calling him out at this hour?”
“I… do not know.”
The knight lowered his head before Eliana, as if he’d committed a grave sin.
“My dear. Gready. Please wake up.”
Eliana shook Gready, who was lying by the entrance, snoring. But his large body merely twitched—he didn’t budge.
“Sylvia. Please guide the knights to a place where they can rest.”
As Eliana tried to wake Gready, she turned to Sylvia with a command.
“No, Your Grace. We must take the Duke to the palace immediately.”
“Did His Majesty demand his corpse, then?”
“…Pardon?”
The knight was taken aback by Eliana’s cold question, stammering.
“At this rate, we’ll only be a burden to His Majesty. No matter how much he denies it, the Duke is still his brother.”
Before Eliana could finish, the imperial knight silently nodded and followed Sylvia.
Meanwhile, the servants summoned by the butler began to move Gready. Eliana followed closely behind.
There was a strange sense of unease, but the imperial knight could do nothing.
[The Emperor will call for me. I need your help. Stall for time.]
The hastily scribbled note had been smudged by sweat.
There was no time to think. Sylvia had passed on the note just as the imperial knight began speaking in the garden. Eliana had to think quickly.
‘Did I do the right thing?’
Last night, Gready never returned to their bedroom.
Eliana had barely fallen asleep at dawn when Sylvia shook her awake with wide, panicked eyes. Even as she woke, Eliana had to start thinking fast.
“Here, have some water.”
“Ah!”
Startled by Sylvia’s words, Eliana instinctively clenched her fist, hiding the note. She accepted the lukewarm water in a glass, which rippled dangerously close to spilling.
Eliana quickly handed it back to Sylvia and threw the note she’d been clutching into the flames.
She stepped back from the rising flames, her movements unsteady.
Just as Sylvia reached out to catch her, Eliana’s body collapsed onto the soft sofa.
With her face buried between her knees, Eliana took a deep breath.
‘Stall for time? Seriously?’
No matter how she thought about it, something felt wrong.
“Where’s the horse?”
“Probably in the stable?”
Sylvia, nervously watching from the corner, quickly answered.
A hairpin fell to the floor with a soft clink.
At the same time, Eliana raised her head. Her disheveled hair clung to her pale face, giving her an eerie look.
“Tell them not to give the horse any water.”
“…Pardon?”
“Hurry!”
At Eliana’s command, Sylvia rushed out. Eliana brushed the hair from her face with one hand and peeked through the curtains into the garden.
Morning had broken through the darkness. The mansion moved with quiet but frantic energy at the sudden arrival of uninvited guests—like swans gliding gracefully over water while their legs paddled furiously underneath.
“He passed out from drinking?”
Emperor Mateo’s face twisted as he held a teacup.
His once elegant hand shook uncontrollably, unable to contain his rage.
Raindrops, left over from the early morning storm, trembled on branches before falling against the window.
Soon it would be time for government affairs.
“Yes. He must’ve drunk quite a lot. He collapsed in front of me.”
“Hah!”
Crash.
Tea spilled over the table, leaving a dark stain. Empress Rosella reached out and placed a hand on Mateo’s arm.
“Your Majesty, please calm yourself.”
“Whose side are you on right now?!”
Mateo slapped her hand away and glared.
Everything irritated him. Things had started falling apart since he failed to take Eliana as his mistress.
The problem had started when the dog no longer responded to its master’s call.
“So the Duke ignored my summons because he was drunk. And the Grand Duchess just let it happen?”
The knight, who had been trembling at Rosella’s elegant voice, finally raised his head.
“They seemed to have argued.”
“Argued?”
Mateo’s head snapped around from where he had been staring out the window.
“Yes! The Grand Duchess looked coldly at the Duke as he collapsed.”
The knight spoke quickly, encouraged by the emperor’s interest.
Being under the emperor’s wrath was a nightmare—he wanted to escape this moment as fast as possible.
“Coldly?”
“Yes! I saw it with my own eyes.”
He nodded so hard it looked like his head might fall off. Empress Rosella’s lips twisted slightly when she noticed Mateo’s attention shift to Eliana.
“…It must’ve been a minor quarrel between newlyweds.”
“Is that so?”
His voice softened as though he’d expected such a thing.
Lowering her eyes, Empress Rosella lifted her teacup. The flavor and scent swirling in her mouth were divine.
“Your Majesty, it’s time for your audience.”
Baron Bliss entered shortly afterward to deliver the news. Mateo rose to his feet. After hearing of the couple’s argument, his mood had clearly improved.
“Have a good day, Your Majesty.”
Empress Rosella also stood and gave a gentle bow. Her deep red dress fluttered like blooming petals.
“Oh! I heard Duke Kryber sent you a gift yesterday.”
At those words, a faint smile crept across Rosella’s lips—but only because her head was bowed. Mateo didn’t see it.
“…My apologies, Your Majesty. I’ll return the gift as soon as possible.”
She spoke with a deliberately trembling voice, bowing even lower to hide her true feelings. Her small, quivering shoulders looked pitiful.
“So much noise over a grand wedding. I guess the Grand Duchess had issues with a gift meant for the Empress.”
Mateo’s eyes traced over Rosella.
From the crown of her bowed head, to her bare shoulders, to the slight glimpse of her chest—only then did he look away.
‘A bit too good to discard, perhaps.’
Gready’s obsession with Rosella had been astounding.
If he hadn’t left her side, Rosella would never have become empress. Mateo had only desired her because she once belonged to Gready.
He stared at the top of her head for a moment longer before turning and leaving the parlor.
Even after the door shut with a clack, Rosella didn’t raise her head for a long time.
