Chapter 33
When the Empress heard that Cardin had been injured, she was truly shocked.
She had clearly ordered that only Theo’s hunting grounds be seeded with high-level monsters — so perhaps she was horrified to find that it wasn’t Theo but her own son who had returned injured.
“What on earth happened here?!”
Cardin frowned slightly as he saw the Empress running toward him in alarm.
“It’s nothing serious.”
“Nothing serious? You’re hurt!”
“Liri saved me, so I’m fine.”
At that moment, when Cardin said those words to the Empress, Liriope’s face froze.
Why would he even mention that…?
Because of his words, the Empress’s gaze immediately turned toward Liriope.
And instinctively, Liriope looked back at her.
Despite her age, the Empress was youthful and beautiful.
Even in her pale, shaken state — having just learned her son was injured — there was an elegance that permeated every word and gesture.
It was Liriope’s first time seeing the main villain of the original story, the Empress, up close, and she couldn’t help but stare at her.
Then, realizing herself, she quickly bowed.
“I greet Your Majesty the Empress.”
At Liriope’s greeting, the Empress gave a small nod, then asked,
“The young lady, was it?”
“Yes. If it weren’t for Liri, I might’ve been killed by the monster.”
Although the Empress had addressed Liriope, the answer came from Cardin.
Oh, come on. You’re exaggerating. You, who took down three high-level monsters, acting like you almost died?
“The young lady graduated at the top of her class from the Academy, didn’t she?”
The Empress looked at Liriope with an unreadable expression.
Liriope gave an awkward smile and replied, “Yes, that’s correct.”
“The Duke of Staila must be proud to have such a daughter.”
“You flatter me, Your Majesty.”
“But Cardin — how did this happen? You, of all people, hurt by a monster?”
Looking completely baffled, the Empress questioned her son. Cardin pressed his lips together for a moment, then, wearing the same sulky look he’d had at the start of the hunt, muttered,
“Your Majesty kept comparing me to that damned bastard. Saying it would be shameful if I lost to him again this year…”
“The Emperor was only joking, surely.”
“How is that a joke? He likes that damned bastard too much!”
Listening to their exchange, Liriope pieced things together.
It seemed the Emperor had casually remarked before the hunt that Theo would likely win again this year — which had annoyed Cardin enough for him to steal Theo’s chosen hunting grounds, just like in the original story.
He probably thought Theo picked that spot because there were more monsters there. Seriously, this idiot — he thinks the same childish way he did in the original.
Suppressing a sigh, Liriope looked at Cardin, who suddenly seemed so immature.
“How many monsters did you encounter, anyway? For you to be hurt like this?” the Empress asked, still incredulous.
Liriope couldn’t help but smile faintly to herself.
In the original story, “your son” here nearly passed out, actually.
She bit back the words, keeping them to herself.
“Four high-level monsters,” Cardin said.
“What? Four?! Has someone lost their mind?!”
The Empress cried out in shock, then abruptly shut her mouth when she realized Liriope and the physicians were present.
She seemed aghast that the dark mage had released not one or two, but four high-level monsters.
Understandable.
At this point, the Empress wasn’t yet planning to kill Theo — she merely wanted to chip away at her son’s rival little by little.
What she didn’t know, however, was that the dark mage she commanded was twisting her orders to serve his own ends.
Not that Liriope felt like warning her — evil schemes invite their own punishment, after all.
“I’m fine. Liri saved me,” Cardin said again, shrugging as if to calm his mother.
Once again, the Empress’s gaze landed on Liriope.
Liriope didn’t understand why he kept emphasizing that saved part — it wasn’t like she’d done something heroic. She opened her mouth to explain,
But before she could speak, the Empress grabbed both her hands, making Liriope’s eyes widen in surprise.
“Young lady, you’re the savior of my son’s life.”
To her utter bewilderment, tears welled in the Empress’s eyes.
Liriope blinked rapidly, unsure how to react to the sudden emotion.
“A savior deserves a fitting reward.”
And then, the words that followed drained all color from Liriope’s face.
“I will give you the title of Empress.”
Everything had gone terribly wrong.
All she’d wanted was to change this episode a little — to prevent innocent people from getting hurt.
But somehow, it had all spiraled out of control.
Every time I twist the original story, the character dynamics seem to unravel even more.
She sighed, massaging her temples.
She’d momentarily forgotten that the Empress was an arrogant woman who cared only for herself and her son — and now she was paying the price for it.
The fact that the Empress, who’d had no connection to Liriope until now, had suddenly chosen her as a future Empress candidate was enough to make anyone’s head throb.
“She saved that idiot?”
But the bigger problem came later, when Theo Artein — who learned what had happened — appeared.
He’d piled up slain monsters like a mountain in front of his tent, glaring at Liriope.
“Ah, well…”
“Who said you could do something that dangerous?”
“Dangerous?”
“What if you’d been hurt?”
“It wasn’t dangerous, really.”
Liriope quickly hid her left hand behind her back.
It was only a small cut, but if Theo found out she’d been injured saving Cardin, he’d probably explode.
But his sharp eyes caught the movement instantly.
“Hand it over.”
“…What?”
“The hand you’re hiding. Give it to me.”
He’s like a hawk, this one.
Biting her lip, Liriope reluctantly extended her hand.
Theo took it immediately to examine the wound.
The moment his skin touched hers, her hand felt hot — and her heart pounded violently in her chest.
“You’re hurt,” he said.
“It’s nothing. Once I get back, I’ll—”
“Physician!”
Theo cut her off sharply, calling for a healer.
Among the many physicians present, it was the royal physician who had treated Cardin who came running, holy water in hand.
“Treat the lady’s wound,” Theo ordered.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
While the physician tended to her hand, Theo’s finely shaped brows twitched with visible irritation.
Liriope sneaked glances at him, but he didn’t look at her — only at the wound, sighing in frustration again and again.
“What on earth possessed you to risk your life for that fool? Don’t tell me you still haven’t gotten over him.”
Liriope opened her mouth, but then closed it again.
Trying to explain would probably just make him angrier.
“There’s no other injury, right?”
If anything, he seemed less angry about Cardin and more worried about her.
“No, none at all.”
As she nodded, Theo strode closer, scanning her from head to toe with sharp, snake-like eyes, making sure she was really unhurt.
Only when he was satisfied did his expression soften back into its usual composed coldness.
“Next time, call for me. Don’t step in yourself.”
“Ah… yes.”
It wasn’t like she had a way to “call” him — this wasn’t a world with cell phones — but she just nodded. Asking how would only prolong the lecture.
“Lady! Thank you so much for today!”
At that exact moment, a young noblewoman came running up, bowing deeply.
Liriope immediately regretted not asking that question.
“You were amazing! To personally defeat high-level monsters like that!”
The excited noblewoman clearly intended to recount the entire incident — right in front of Theo.
Liriope glanced at him in panic, silently praying the girl would shut up.
Theo stood still, expressionless, but his brow twitched the moment he heard the words high-level monsters.
“Lady, that’s quite enough—” Liriope tried to cut her off,
But before she could finish, others nearby crowded around, shouting,
“She’s our savior, the young lady herself!”
“If not for her, we’d all be dead!”
And Theo’s eyebrow shot up sharply.
“…What is the meaning of this?”
