Chapter 2
“Edenbarker?”
“Yes.”
The corners of Robert’s attractive eyes curved softly.
That smiling gaze, which had once made her heart flutter, now filled Evelyn with nothing but disgust.
“I’ve never heard of such a family before.”
“That may be so.”
“How did someone like you manage to enter the Imperial Tower?”
The Imperial Tower was a prison reserved for high-ranking nobles and members of the imperial family.
No matter that it housed criminals—this was not a place just anyone could enter freely.
And yet a nobody I’ve never even heard of managed to come here?
The insult hidden beneath his words was obvious.
Even so, Robert’s tone remained gentle.
“Your Highness may simply be unfamiliar with us. Due to certain circumstances, Count Edenbarker’s family remained away from the capital for quite some time. We only recently returned to the imperial city at His Majesty’s summons.”
“And when I heard that Your Highness was here, I requested permission from His Majesty to meet you personally.”
“And why would you do that?”
“I saw your portrait.”
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
“I happen to like green eyes.”
The arrogance of daring to evaluate an imperial princess’s appearance.
Robert Edenbarker was exactly as Evelyn remembered him.
Green eyes.
That applied not only to herself, but to Mary as well.
Words that had once sounded unbearably sweet now seemed utterly laughable.
After all, what he truly desired was not Evelyn herself, but Mary’s favor.
When Evelyn gave no response, Robert mistook her silence for shyness.
“You are even more beautiful in person.”
“In this miserable state?”
“No matter how worn the wrapping paper may be, a jewel’s value remains unchanged.”
His gaze lingered on her.
“To me, Your Highness is a very precious gem.”
“…I see.”
“Yes.”
Unlike his beautiful smile, cold mockery spread across Evelyn’s face.
Unbothered, Robert continued smoothly.
“His Majesty personally sent maids to attend to your appearance. If you permit it, I can have them brought in immediately.”
“I understand, so you may leave now.”
His arrogant eyes swept subtly over her rigid figure sitting atop the bed.
Evelyn, who had been staring out the window, slowly turned back toward him.
“You should change your attitude from now on.”
“Change my attitude?”
“Yes. His Majesty is generous, but she despises those who lack proper decorum.”
His voice lowered sweetly.
“It would benefit Your Highness to behave more gently in the future. Wouldn’t the palace become much more peaceful if the two imperial sisters were close?”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
Satisfied, Robert smiled and began to turn away.
Then Evelyn’s calm voice stopped him.
“Now that I think about it, as a member of the imperial family, there is no need for me to treat anyone besides His Majesty that way.”
She tilted her head slightly.
“Doing otherwise would only diminish the dignity of the Emperor herself. Is that not correct?”
“Of course.”
A charming smile spread across Robert’s face.
“If Your Highness chooses to treat me comfortably, what gentleman would refuse? You could even walk around barefoot if you wished.”
“Leave.”
Suppressing her revulsion, Evelyn answered as evenly as possible.
Robert regarded her with amused eyes before lowering his upper body in a graceful bow.
“I shall be waiting downstairs.”
Once again, Evelyn’s gaze drifted toward the window.
A shriveled leaf she hadn’t noticed before now clung flat against the glass.
Even inside the carriage bound for the banquet hall, Evelyn’s indifferent attitude remained unchanged.
Whenever Robert attempted conversation, she responded only with curt replies.
“I see.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Nothing more.
Yet Robert’s smile never faltered.
The real Evelyn differed quite a bit from the information he had gathered beforehand.
Still, whatever her personality might be, it hardly mattered to him.
“Your Majesty, do you intend to let Princess Evelyn die like that?”
“Then are you suggesting I keep her alive?”
Just recalling Mary’s cold gaze sent a thrilling chill down Robert’s spine.
The object of his blind devotion was Mary Ares Strovana.
The woman he himself had made Emperor.
At some point, something within Mary had broken.
Afterward, she no longer hesitated to kill others—nor did she care about her own injuries.
She rarely felt joy or sorrow.
The only time she displayed strong emotion was when directing hatred toward the imperial family.
“Compared to what Your Majesty suffered, this punishment is far too lenient. Allow me to handle it.”
“Grant her the agony of betrayal by the one she loves. The terror of never knowing when death will come. And when she finally feels safe… let her meet a meaningless death.”
At last, emotion flickered within those dry green eyes.
And when her tightly sealed lips finally parted—
“You are useful, Edenbarker.”
The calm face breaking into a smile made Robert feel as though he had been chosen by a god of hell itself.
If he could see that smile again, winning the heart of some powerless woman would be nothing.
Even Evelyn’s unexpectedly prickly behavior only amused him.
After all, the sweeter the reward, the harsher the road leading to it.
And a woman with no power of her own would eventually fall into his hands sooner or later.
“Your Highness, are you uncomfortable?”
“Not at all.”
“What a pity.”
Evelyn frowned at him, and Robert smiled brightly.
“I merely meant that it is unfortunate you have no need to rely on my assistance.”
Not long after, the carriage arrived.
Robert stepped out first and extended an arm toward her.
“Allow me.”
Her gaze fell to his hand.
A palm not particularly rough for a man. Long fingers.
The hand of her former fiancé—one she had held countless times—felt painfully familiar.
Back then, she had believed that hand would save her.
Now she knew better.
A bitter laugh threatened to escape her lips, and Evelyn bit the inside of her mouth to suppress it.
“…Thank you.”
“There is no need to be so nervous. His Majesty regretted sending Your Highness to the Tower. I am certain she will say something kind today.”
“…Is that so.”
Something kind.
Just as a mocking laugh nearly slipped free, a servant who had spotted them hurried over and bowed deeply.
Fortunately, Robert failed to notice the shift in Evelyn’s expression.
“Princess.”
“Announce us.”
The servant rushed ahead and threw open the doors of the banquet hall.
“Her Imperial Highness Princess Evelyn Bonemorth Strovana and Count Robert Edenbarker have arrived!”
Every eye in the hall turned toward Evelyn.
Curiosity. Hostility. Pity.
Among the countless gazes directed at her, not one contained reverence for royalty.
Observing the banquet hall that had not changed in the slightest since before her regression, Evelyn slowly stepped forward.
At the end of the crimson carpet stood the gilded imperial throne, radiating the Emperor’s authority without restraint.
And seated upon it was the Empire’s new ruler—
Her half-sister.
The woman who had killed her twice.
Mary.
“May the Empire shine eternally. Greetings to Your Majesty the Emperor.”
“I heard your health was poor.”
“Thanks to Your Majesty’s concern, I have greatly recovered.”
The atmosphere of the banquet hall grew heavy the instant Evelyn finished speaking.
Edward—Evelyn’s full-blooded younger brother and Mary’s half-brother—had died from illness shortly after ascending the throne.
He had been far too young to leave behind an heir, and the empire had fallen into chaos.
One faction insisted that Mary, the late Emperor’s eldest child, should inherit the throne according to lawful succession.
Another demanded that Evelyn—the daughter of Empress Blair, not the deposed former Empress—be crowned instead.
The fierce conflict between the two sides ended abruptly after Mary proved her qualifications.
“That is…!”
“The Blessing of Strovana!”
Long ago, during the era of endless civil wars, the Empire’s founding Emperor united all factions and declared himself ruler.
The mark he possessed—
A mysterious flower-shaped crest resembling an ordinary daisy, yet radiating divine light—
Was known as the Blessing.
It was said to appear only in those of imperial blood who were born with the qualities of a true Emperor.
But after the founding Emperor, no one had manifested the Blessing again.
So when Mary awakened it, the entire Empire was shaken.
And when it became known that she could wield aura as well, her prestige instantly rose to rival that of the Empire’s founder himself.
“Surely no one remains dissatisfied with my succession now.”
Not a single person had dared oppose her.
And the very first thing Mary did after taking the throne—
Was imprison her half-sister within the Imperial Tower.
All in the name of stabilizing imperial authority.
Suddenly, Mary’s brow twitched with irritation.
Evelyn immediately lowered herself in a bow.
“Thanks to the Count Edenbarker you sent, I was able to arrive comfortably.”
“Ah.”
A short sound escaped the Emperor’s crimson lips.
“I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s boundless grace.”
Resting her chin lazily upon one hand, Mary tapped her temple with a finger.
The golden throne reflected the light pouring down from dozens of chandeliers overhead.
Under that brilliant glow, Mary’s blood-red hair seemed even more striking.
