episode_0027

“Enjoy your meal.”

Elaine.

Once she sat down, she could discern the Empress’s intentions.

The sight of the soup and steak made her mouth water.

Following those were various stews, salads with cheese and seaweed, roasted chicken, duck, and even a young lamb’s leg.

The lavish spread on the spacious table was far more than two women could consume.

It seemed as though it was prepared with the assumption that much of it would be discarded.

Of course, she had heard that meals for royalty and nobility were not just about filling one’s stomach.

The steward at the Marquis’s estate often said that enduring such extravagant indulgence was a painful necessity for the display of dignity and authority.

At the time, she didn’t fully realize it, being preoccupied with work and hardship.

But seeing it firsthand today, the royal meal was truly remarkable.

Being able to taste so many dishes only slightly was an absolute privilege beyond comprehension.

“What are you waiting for? Start eating already.”

However, when she tried to eat, it was impossible.

There were several knives and forks placed in front of the Empress, but none in front of Elaine.

She didn’t even have a plate or a spoon for the soup.

There must have been some mistake.

Elaine, thinking simplistically, slowly turned her head to look at the maid behind her.

“The knives and forks—”

But faced with the maid’s disdainful smirk, Elaine eventually fell silent.

It was because she realized too late that there were complex emotions at play in this situation.

Suddenly, she felt short of breath.

Her face flushed hotly.

When she turned back, the Empress was looking at her with a compassionate smile.

“Elaine, you should know your place.”

It was a smile that put her at ease just by looking at it.

Yet, beneath the gentle tone, there was an unbelievably intense contempt, like the song of a small bird.

“Stay true to your origins. Eat with your hands.”

With those words, the Empress elegantly scooped up a spoonful of soup.

Elaine barely suppressed the rising urge to cry from the depths of her throat.

Struggling to endure, her heart and shoulders trembled as the empress emptied a bowl of soup.

Elaine, trying to conceal the urge to burst into tears at any moment, was panting heavily, bowing her head deeply.

Her fists clenched tightly around the dress’s fabric, sweat pooling in them.

Nevertheless, the empress, wiping her rosy lips with a white napkin, spoke as gently as the sunlight streaming through the window.

“Truly peculiar, Elaine. To disdain eating in front of such delicious food, all for the sake of clinging to a worthless prince in hopes of social elevation. Are you perhaps full?”

Eventually, tears began to fall from Elaine’s eyes.

It felt as though she had been described as nothing more than a pig.

Unbearable humiliation eventually poured salt on wounds that had not yet healed.

“Like how Viscount Bart called your mother a wench, just as he bestowed his name upon you, born a wench, all because of the engagement to the prince, wasn’t it? Did I say something wrong?”

Elaine raised her head. Despite the tears, her eyes held an intense, unwavering glint, one that no one could subdue.

“No, it’s not…”

Elaine denied the empress’s words, tears still streaming down her face.

Yet the empress continued to smile gracefully, her countenance seemingly immune to others’ pain, so nonchalant it seemed almost artificial.

“What do you mean, ‘no’?”

“Trash… No, it’s not.”

“Oh, so Eos, that trash, is not trash?”

“Absolutely not!”

Wiping away her tears, Elaine abruptly stood up.

“I shall take my lea-”

Before Elaine could finish her sentence, a maid behind her placed a hand on her shoulder, attempting to make her sit back down.

Elaine couldn’t resist at all.

The grip on her shoulder was strong, but the force pushing her down felt as heavy as a rock, making resistance impossible.

Thud!

So she could do nothing but helplessly sink back down, her tailbone aching.

It was then that a familiar voice reached her ears.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Elaine’s head snapped around.

In her eyes, there was a glint of emerald light, fixed on the empress with a certain intensity.

***

Having been awakened from a short nap, I left Astia, who was clutching Glentino, behind and hurried toward the empress’s palace. In order to confirm the situation, I sent Wint ahead. At the same time, I considered the worst-case scenario. If the empress had discovered that Elaine was the saint and summoned her to the palace, she would undoubtedly be planning to marry her off to Cervis in order to harness the formidable power of the temple. Although the likelihood didn’t seem high, if by some chance it were true, I was prepared to resort to extreme measures. I had heard that the priestess of the Goddess religion was also present at the palace, so in case of an emergency, I intended to inform her of Elaine’s true identity. If the temple, consumed by greed, refused to let go of the goose laying golden eggs, they would never allow the empress to take it away. “Are you leaving me alone?” Alongside Astia, who had joined me without my noticing, I quickened my pace even more. Simultaneously, through Wint’s eyes, who had already arrived at the empress’s palace, I carefully observed the unfolding situation. When the empress had requested lunch with Elaine, the atmosphere hadn’t seemed hostile. However, as soon as they sat down, she suddenly changed her attitude and began to insult Elaine. It seemed as if it had been premeditated, and she was thoroughly trampling over her. Fortunately, it seemed that she hadn’t realized Elaine’s true identity. But why was I so angry? My increasingly rapid steps had suddenly turned into a sprint. I wanted to bring Elaine back from that filthy place right away. Then, for a moment, I felt an uncomfortable gaze. Despite looking through the eyes of a materialized spirit, it felt as though someone had met my gaze. The owner of the piercing gaze was a brown-haired maid standing behind Elaine. Judging by the way she was squinting as if staring at the sun, she seemed to have vaguely noticed Wint’s presence. Nevertheless, there was nothing to worry about. After all, skilled individuals of that caliber were scattered throughout the empress’s palace. Even at this very moment, each one of them disguised as servants, they would be guarding the empress flawlessly, leaving no room for any leaks.

And those people, no matter how many there were, couldn’t do anything to Wint, whose manifestation had been released. Whether they used magic or wielded a sword filled with mana, at the point of manifestation being released, spirits could never be killed. They would just be pushed away.

Even so, I summoned Wint again. After all, since the most important thing had already been confirmed, there was no need to endure the risk.

When Wint had partially permeated into the wall, I saw the maid again, looking confused with her head cocked. She seemed to have concluded that she had probably felt something due to her mood.

“Stop.”

Thwack! Clang!

Two soldiers blocked my path in front of the Queen’s Palace, but Astia swiftly darted out, swinging her sword one after another, hitting them. The soldiers, struck by the immense power of her sword, flew like rag dolls and collided with the wall, then slumped down like rags.

“From here on, I’ll take care of it. You don’t need to step forward.”

Astia sighed softly, nodding slightly.

The first thing I saw when I entered was the maid clutching Elaine’s shoulders. She was the one who had just detected Wint.

“What are you trying to do right now?”

“What’s going on with the prince here?”

As always, the queen was smiling brightly. It was an effortless expression, as if she couldn’t even imagine hearing what she had said.

I walked straight towards the queen. As expected, the maid leaped over the table with astonishing speed, blocking my path.

Swoosh—

In her hand was a knife held in reverse grip. It was poised to cut my carotid artery at the slightest startle.

Her eyes blazed with a fervor hotter than blue flames, as if she had killed countless people for the queen. It seemed that this maid was unaware.

It seemed that the queen would enjoy my villainy more than anyone else. The more I behaved like trash, the happier the queen would be. That’s why, even in this situation, she could elegantly slice through a steak with a bright face, humming softly.

I asked the maid, “Why? Are you going to kill me?”

“No matter who it is, if they try to harm the Empress Mother, they can only die.”

“Harm? I was just going to greet the Lady-in-waiting politely.”

The maid’s pupils began to tremble ever so slightly.

“Clean this up when you speak nicely.”

I grasped her wrist.

It didn’t budge at all, as if gripping a thick branch of a tree.

Though I was infamous as the abandoned prince, even I found it a bit difficult to see blood ties as nothing more than water.

I spoke so softly it was almost inaudible.

“My maternal uncle isn’t the Elven King, is he?”

Only then did the maid’s eyes begin to tremble properly.

“If I die, war will break out immediately. Think about it. Is that good for your master?”

Just after uttering those words,

I pressed the blade optimized for cutting against my own throat.

Squelch—

I felt the sensation of a drop of blood rolling down.

Beside me, Elaine’s sigh, muffled by her hands, faintly reached my ears.

“Thrusting a knife at me is attempted regicide and disrespect to the royal family. Doesn’t that make sense? Will that really help your master? Well then, why don’t you try killing me once.”

I pushed the blade that had already made a slight indentation toward my neck.

Then the seemingly immovable blade withdrew on its own.

Trembling with uncontrollable rage, I whispered into the maid’s ear.

“Do you understand the situation now? So if you don’t want to escalate things, quietly take the punishment until I’ve vented enough.”

Crash—

Eventually, the maid let go of the knife.

And from that moment on,

I seized the maid by her hair.

I gripped it so tightly that strands came loose.

“Try not to use magic if possible. I’m not easily satisfied.”

“……”

Even if enduring a pain less than being struck by a knife, suppressing the intense humiliation inflicted upon me, notorious as I was, without letting out even a small scream, seemed quite remarkable.

I yanked the maid’s head and slammed it onto the table.

Meat, vegetables, and fish from various stews flew in all directions.

I tried to aim more toward the Empress’s side as much as possible and brought it down in that direction as much as I could.

And then, crash!

The whole roasted chicken and duck, unable to withstand the shock, rolled away from the accident scene. And then, thud! Thud! Thud-thud-thud! Nevertheless, the empress remained calm, slicing her steak with composure. Despite the maid’s head bumping against the table, causing the plates to shift, she continued humming. She was far more ruthless than depicted in novels.

“It’s nothing, everyone step back,” she said belatedly, pushing back the soldiers and servants who had rushed in. Of course, the empress had her own beliefs. The maid who had been serving her could strike back at any moment and kill her instantly. Moreover, the empress’s adorned jewelry—rings, necklaces, earrings—were all expensive magical artifacts with special protective spells embedded within. Even if I exerted all my strength now, it would be difficult to kill the empress. Thud! I struck one last powerful blow. Then, leaning close to the maid’s ear, drenched in blood and food, I shouted loudly enough for the empress to hear, “Touch my woman again, and I’ll really kill you next time.”

Without collapsing, I propped my foot on the edge of the table and grabbed the empress’s wine glass. After a refreshing gulp, I poured the rest over the maid’s head, staring defiantly into the empress’s smiling eyes. Then, I grabbed Elaine’s hand and escaped the empress’s palace. Feeling a pang of guilt, she deliberately avoided my gaze. I might not know the details, but it seemed the reason the empress called for Elaine was related to our engagement. It was because of me that she suffered what she wouldn’t have if I hadn’t tried to use her. I felt sorry. So, for a while, I couldn’t look her in the eye or speak. I just tightly held her wrist and walked as slowly as possible towards the prince’s palace.

When we reached the pond in front of the prince’s palace, Elaine stopped abruptly. As I turned around after releasing her wrist, she reached out with trembling hands toward my neck. I thought words of resentment would come flying at me.

Blood is coming from my neck. I will treat it right away.

Her hand approaching so suddenly was completely unexpected.

Amidst the startled fluttering of countless beetles, more fleeting than a single flap, numerous thoughts flashed by.

Should I avoid it?

But if I do, Elaine, who still wears an urgent expression, seemed likely to suffer a serious wound.

Fortunately, there was no one nearby, so I thought it would be okay, but at that moment, I saw an old man in a white robe coming from not far away, accompanied by the emperor.

The man next to the emperor was undoubtedly the Imperial Physician.

In this situation, if Elaine were to use her divine power?

The Imperial Physician would surely notice.

As I emerged from the whirlwind of thoughts, Elaine’s palm was suddenly on my neck.

And my head was spinning faster than ever.

It felt as though time was passing slowly.

Just as I sensed a faint light beneath my face, I could no longer think of anything.

Using the agility typical of noble elves, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her tightly.

“W-why are you suddenly…?”

Struggling.

“P-please let go…”

Clearly a bewildered gesture.

Fortunately, the treatment was immediately halted.

Elaine pushed against my chest with her clenched hand, pinched my side, and exerted herself as if desperately struggling, much like clutching a fawn asleep in its mother’s embrace.

“Now isn’t the time for this, right? I-I don’t dislike it, but… um…”