Chapter 88 ….
Basement level three, too?
Mikhail, you’re nearby, right? If things get dangerous, you’ll sense it like a ghost and come save me… right?
I clenched my teeth, desperately sending telepathic pleas to Mikhail. The unexpected situation made my breath hitch.
Barely calming my nerves, I stepped into the elevator. A prickling sensation—like static electricity—lingered at my toes.
“Sweetie, relax your face. Do you think I’m crazy enough to drag you somewhere dangerous?”
“I’m not sure what you mean…”
Damn. Looks like she read my mind. I really need to work on my poker face.
“Honestly, for someone from Valienor, you’ve got a surprisingly cute side. This elevator is made in Lapas, so it’s perfectly safe. I was a bit scared at first too—watching a hunk of metal move and all—but now I’m completely used to it.”
I gave an awkward smile and nodded. It wasn’t the moving hunk of metal that was the problem—it was her.
The inside of the elevator was empty like a freight lift. There were only two buttons: one black and one white.
The Empress Dowager flashed me a sly smile and pressed the black button. Judging by it, that must be the one that went down.
“We’ll arrive soon, so don’t worry.”
And we really did arrive quickly—comparable to a modern elevator.
When the doors slid open, the secret salon came into full view.
True to its name, the secret salon had a dark, clandestine atmosphere. Soft ambient lighting dimly illuminated the space, and the first thing that caught my eye was the tall bookshelves layered deep into the room.
On the table sat a teapot, teacups, and a candle decorated with flowers. A gentle floral scent pleasantly tickled my nose.
“Would you like some tea first?”
“I’m fine. I’ve had plenty of tea today.”
“Really? May I get straight to the point, then?”
“Of course. Please go ahead.”
“You’re wondering why I brought you to the Empress’s Palace instead of my own, aren’t you?”
The Empress Dowager gave a bright smile—then in an instant wiped it clean from her face. The youthful look she’d been wearing suddenly settled into something more befitting her true age.
“Actually, everything you see here was the late Empress’s work. I only discovered this place after she died. Come with me.”
She led me to the deepest part of the underground salon and carefully revealed several stone statues, as if presenting treasured family heirlooms.
“Do you know what these are, by any chance?”
“…!!”
A hippopotamus head with a human torso. A crocodile head with a human torso. The familiar forms seized my attention.
Avelungen followers. First-class priests.
Words I had forgotten suddenly flooded my mind. Unpleasant memories vividly resurfaced before my eyes.
I quickly steadied my wavering gaze and put on a brazen mask, pretending ignorance.
But it seemed the Empress Dowager hadn’t missed that fleeting flicker.
A satisfied smile spread across her previously expressionless face. Her gentle voice curled sweetly in my ear.
“As expected. You really are from Valienor. You recognized them instantly.”
“……”
“You don’t have to pretend you don’t know. The imperial family and Valienor are on the same side when it comes to Avelungen. Since the Age of Myth, we’ve all been allies. Even the Nefirion family.”
…All of us?
One word in her hypnotic whisper snagged in my mind.
The families grouped as “us” should be Eldrian and Valienor. How dare Nefirion wedge themselves in?
But I hid my thoughts and obediently agreed. It would be far easier to uncover her intentions that way.
“…That’s true.”
“Good—we understand each other. As you know, Eldrian, Valienor, and Nefirion are a community that shares the grace of the god Neferte. Eldrian and Valienor received divine beasts, but Nefirion received the spring.”
…The spring? What is she talking about now?
Questions surged, but they would have to wait. For now, the right move was to act captivated by her whisper—ears open, mouth shut.
Sure enough, the Empress Dowager’s large eyes curved gracefully, pleased by my docile behavior.
“Anyway, it seems the late Empress had quite an interest in dangerous faiths like Avelungen. Her son, Richard, is the same.”
“Former Crown Prince Richard?”
Richard is an Avelungen follower?
What nonsense. There’s a limit to slander.
Keeping that thought hidden, I covered my mouth with both hands and widened my eyes.
At my naïve reaction, the Empress Dowager’s lips stretched sideways. Her full lips parted easily, as if revealing an open secret.
“That’s right. The seed of calamity hiding in Valienor.”
…Ah.
So that’s why she brought me all the way here. She was showing evidence of Avelungen worship to keep Valienor from siding with Richard.
Since Ricardo knows Richard’s whereabouts, it was only natural the Empress Dowager would know too.
Still, I deliberately let my pupils tremble in feigned shock.
“Surely you didn’t not know?”
“Well…”
“Don’t try to hide it. It’s all over your eyes.”
“…Ah.”
This woman really thinks I’m a complete pushover. Well, Ariel is only sixteen right now—no wonder she underestimates me.
In that case, acting anxious and asking directly should be fine.
I bit my lower lip hard and lowered my head. Then, in a faintly trembling voice, I spoke carefully.
“Is this why you called me here today? To show me the late Empress’s disgrace and probe about the former Crown Prince’s whereabouts?”
As expected, the Empress Dowager seemed pleased with my tightly wound tension. A benevolent smile—almost sickeningly so—spread across her face.
“You could think that. But that’s not my intention. I want to help you.”
“You… want to help me?”
“Yes. Lately, your condition has been worsening again, hasn’t it? Haven’t you been repeatedly losing strength and collapsing?”
“…!!”
What? How does she know that? Is there a spy among Valienor’s inner circle?
Only my family, Mikhail, and Hayden should know that I collapse sometimes.
When I failed to respond in genuine shock, the Empress Dowager murmured sweetly and cunningly:
“That’s because the effects of the Nefirion spring water are wearing off.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
“You may not know this, but you’ve been drinking Nefirion spring water since childhood. Didn’t you know it’s a miracle cure for your chronic illness?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“That makes sense. Go back and ask Meterio. I’m sure he knows something.”
Her confident attitude—telling me outright to ask Father—made me hesitate. Could she really be telling the truth? If so, there’s no way I would’ve been completely unaware until now.
“Sweetie. While you’re asking, be sure to pass this message to Meterio. The material for the trade in exchange for Nefirion’s spring water is the former Crown Prince Richard. You understand what I mean, right?”
“…Yes.”
So this was the real point.
Having fully grasped her intention, I nodded as if in agreement—for now.
In a good mood, the Empress Dowager linked arms with me and gave me a tour around the underground, showing off the late Empress’s collection.
Listening to all sorts of slander about the former Empress was just a bonus.
***
“Mikhail!”
Do you know how much I missed you?
Unlike my tail-wagging excitement, Mikhail’s face was rather bland. He looked like he had expected me to return safely.
“My lady, I’m relieved you returned unharmed.”
“Please. You don’t look worried at all. What about the dress? The Empress Dowager said it was prepared in another carriage. Did you check?”
“Yes. Would you like to see it yourself? It’s in the carriage behind us.”
“No, I’ll look later.”
I glanced indifferently at the carriage carrying the dress and climbed straight into mine.
As I leaned back into the soft seat, my heart finally settled, as if I had come home.
After catching my breath, I recounted everything that had happened with the Empress Dowager.
“The secret salon was interesting. Apparently she’s been using the late Empress’s hidden space as her salon.”
“You didn’t drink any prepared tea, did you?”
“Of course not. Anyway, the salon was on basement level three of the eastern annex. We went down in this metal elevator made in Lapas, and—”
As he listened, the space between Mikhail’s brows gradually tightened into a faint frown.
“She said the late Empress was connected to Avelungen?”
“Yeah. And…”
I almost spoke Richard’s name but quickly swallowed it. I needed to consult Richard first about that part.
Instead, I raised the new question.
“Do you know anything about the Nefirion spring? Have you heard of it?”
“I have. There is a legend that the goddess Neferte created a spring for the divine beasts to drink and entrusted its management to the Nefirion family. However, I recommend you don’t believe it. There are no records of Lewman or Morgause ever drinking that spring water.”
“The Empress Dowager said I’ve been drinking it since childhood. Is that true?”
“What? That’s absurd—”
Screeeeech—!
The smoothly moving carriage came to an abrupt halt.
My paper-thin body lost its balance and pitched forward.
