Chapter 87 …
At the end of Davina’s innocent question, the corners of the Empress’s lips split into a wide smile. Folding her eyes prettily, she replied while looking at me.
“I don’t want to do that either, but I’m not sure. I’m terribly fickle, you see. Our little lady will understand, won’t she?”
“U-unnie…”
“Yes?”
“I think Her Majesty the Empress is kind of strange.”
“Davina! How can you say that so loudly?!”
“O-oppa thinks so too! Don’t you?”
“Kids, Her Majesty is right in front of us.”
The siblings who had just insulted the Empress to her face with perfectly innocent expressions clamped their mouths shut at the same time. Then they shuffled behind my skirt and hid themselves.
“How adorable. You’re so close. Ricardo and Roxanne are rather distant with each other. Good. Young Lord Jeremia, you should come to the Empress’s palace too. The three of you look lovely together.”
The Empress maintained her cheerful demeanor, completely unbothered by our blatant whispering.
That made it even more unsettling. I signaled to Mikhail with my eyes—I’d pretend to faint in three seconds, so be ready to catch me.
But just before I could begin my act, the Empress spoke first.
“Ariel, don’t try anything foolish. If you quietly come along today, I’ll send your siblings back to the hotel. Otherwise, an invitation bearing His Majesty the Emperor’s seal will arrive at the Valienor estate. And then your siblings will have to come as well. So? Wouldn’t it be better to follow me today?”
Unlike her earlier tone, her voice was calm—chilling as it brushed the back of my neck. Her smiling eyes swept over me from head to toe in a way that made my skin crawl.
After a brief moment of consideration, I willingly accepted the summons. If I had to be struck anyway, it was better to get it over with sooner rather than later.
“Very well. I’ll go today.”
“Unnie! No!”
“Sister! It looks dangerous!”
Sorry, but going with you would be even more dangerous. Especially Davina—you never know what she might pull. Better I go alone.
“You’re smart. Shall we ride in the same carriage, then?”
“No. I’ll follow in the Valienor carriage. May I bring my attendant?”
As I darted my eyes toward Mikhail, the Empress’s round eyes narrowed like a snake’s.
“Red hair and red eyes. A rare combination. You’re from Eldrian, aren’t you? I’m not trying to pick a fight—just curious.”
Mikhail answered her sudden question without missing a beat.
“My hair is dyed, and my eyes are a hereditary illness.”
“Oh my! Is that so? I had no idea. Ariel, take your time and follow in your carriage. I’ll go ahead and wait.”
Having achieved her purpose, the Empress left the boutique without looking back. I let out a hollow laugh that sounded more like a sigh and turned to Mikhail.
“Is it really dyed? And a genetic disease?”
“Of course not. Are you seriously asking?”
“No. I just found it funny that you lied so smoothly. Let’s go.”
After dropping my siblings off at the hotel, Mikhail and I headed straight for the Imperial Palace.
I had tried to inform Father of the situation, but he had left the hotel in haste last night and had yet to return, so I had no choice but to send word by telegram.
“Mikhail, where did Father go? He’s not someone who would leave while I was unconscious.”
“He went to hunt monsters under the pretext of official duty. There was a report of a hybrid monster appearing in a village near the southern desert.”
“What? He personally went for that? What’s the army for?”
“The Duke of Valienor is stronger than a hundred well-trained soldiers—especially when it comes to monsters.”
“The way you’re saying it, this isn’t the first time. Does this happen often?”
“On average, about once every two months.”
“That often? I’ve never once seen a single article saying Meteor Valienor saved imperial citizens from hybrid monsters. Don’t tell me all the credit goes to the Imperial Family.”
My voice rose as anger surged up. Being dragged unwillingly to the palace and learning this unfair truth at the same time made my fury boil twice as hot.
But Mikhail answered calmly, like someone who had long since given up.
“Your guess is correct, my lady.”
“They say Valienor is the Empire’s shadow. I suppose even our good deeds are done in the dark.”
“An accurate insight.”
“…Damn it.”
Forget it.
I soothed my aching chest and fixed my gaze on the passing scenery. Soon, the Imperial Palace came into view, fantastically illuminated by the evening glow.
After a brief inspection at the entrance, we stepped down from the carriage. The First Empress’s palace was separate from the main palace, so we needed to transfer to a designated carriage.
Just as Mikhail and I were about to board, an unexpected figure appeared before us.
Light brown hair. Distinctive features. The First Empress’s head attendant—and her lover.
The true culprit behind Lady Adelaide’s murder had come to greet us.
“I greet Lady Valienor. I am Theodore McKane, head attendant to Her Majesty the First Empress.”
“…I see.”
Concealing my unease as best as I could, I looked him up and down.
Up close, his appearance was even more peculiar than from afar—or from a portrait.
It wasn’t a matter of handsome or ugly. He looked like a different race altogether.
Overly pronounced bone structure, protruding eyes—almost animal-like. In any case, far from ordinary.
“Her Majesty is waiting in the secret salon. We will proceed at once.”
Reluctantly, I placed my hand in his as he escorted me.
The moment our hands touched, a chill like a blade of winter wind ran through my body. My chest churned with nausea.
Something feels wrong. No—ominous.
Is it because I’m holding a murderer’s hand? Why do I feel like this?
After helping me into the carriage, Theodore suddenly blocked Mikhail from boarding.
“The First Empress’s secret salon permits entry only to those invited. No attendants aside from Lady Ariel may board.”
“What? This is the first I’ve heard of that.”
“We were ordered to escort only Lady Valienor. Please forgive the discourtesy.”
With a perfunctory apology, he shut the carriage door firmly.
Unlike my stunned expression, Mikhail’s face beyond the window remained calm—almost as if he had expected this.
If Mikhail isn’t reacting, it should be fine. If anything happens, he’ll find me. It’ll be okay.
Reassured by his composure, I silently observed the situation outside.
The carriage sped past the main palace and crossed the vast imperial garden.
Three detached palaces stood around the maze-like garden: to the north, the Crown Prince’s Palace; to the west, the First Empress’s Palace; and to the east, the oldest—once belonging to the late Empress, now vacant.
Contrary to my expectations, the carriage suddenly turned east.
Not toward the First Empress’s Palace, but toward the ownerless one.
“…Huh?”
Did I lose my sense of direction? Why are we heading to the late Empress’s palace?
As if reading my thoughts, Theodore spoke calmly.
“Our destination is the eastern palace.”
“Why?”
“You will see when we arrive.”
Before I could fully process my confusion, the carriage stopped. At that moment, the First Empress’s chirpy voice rang out.
“Oh my dear, you came sooner than I thought! You must have been surprised? I’m sorry. Don’t blame Theodore—he only did as I instructed.”
…Dear? Did she just call me “dear”?
The unexpected term left me momentarily dazed. I forced an awkward smile, pretending not to be shocked by her flippant behavior.
But the Empress acted as though we were truly close. She latched onto my arm without hesitation and led me inside before I could protest.
“Let’s go in. It’s your first time here, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I won’t eat you, so relax. I just wanted to have a private, intimate conversation with you.”
“…Ha ha.”
That’s exactly what makes it suspicious. I’ll be fine, right? Right, Mikhail?
The interior of the ownerless palace was desolate. Despite the brilliant afternoon sun and countless lights turned on, it felt as lonely as dawn.
“Dear, stop for a moment.”
As we passed the grand central hall and turned into the right corridor, the Empress halted. I had no choice but to stop as well.
With a carefree smile, she casually pushed aside a cabinet in the hallway. The ease of her movement suggested this wasn’t her first time doing so.
“Isn’t it heavy?”
“No. It’s a special order from Lapas. It recognizes my fingerprints, so it’s light when I move it. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to.”
“…I see.”
The way she mentioned Lapas so lightly was striking. It was hard to believe she belonged to a royal family that openly rejected Lapas.
Once the cabinet was moved, an elevator concealed behind it came into view.
I stared at the metal structure and sighed inwardly. The Empress leaned close and whispered the location of the secret salon into my ear.
“We have to take this down to the third basement level.”
“…The basement?”
