episode_0066

Empress Herphina was sipping tea with Servis early in the morning.

“Servis, lately you seem to be disappointing this mother a lot.”

“I apologize, Mother.”

Despite having been here for quite some time, Servis still avoided meeting the Empress’s eyes.

“Why do you act like that towards that child?”

“There was no particular reason-”

“Because he is to become family?”

“….”

To habitually conceal her boiling anger, the Empress lowered her voice.

“Marno Luteon, that fool. Why did you make him do such a useless thing?”

“I did not instruct him to do so.”

“Do you think I don’t know? He is your stepfather, isn’t he?”

“….”

Servis finally met the Empress’s gaze as their eyes clashed for the first time.

“How long have you known?”

Faced with a question he couldn’t fathom, Servis could only pause momentarily.

“What… do you mean…?”

As if hovering over Servis’s head, the Empress smiled leisurely.

“I’m talking about your stepfather.”

“….”

“You can’t even understand your mother’s words now? Terdoan, your stepfather whom you killed with your own hands.”

A moment of fierce fire ignited in Servis’s eyes, filled with what seemed like emptiness.

Yet, despite that,

Not a single word escaped his lips.

The Empress took a sip of her tea with her usual demeanor.

After elegantly placing down her cup, she even smiled as if there were no issues at all.

“He was still needed, wasn’t he? Shouldn’t you have waited a bit longer before killing him?”

Servis, with a twisted expression, hesitated before speaking up.

“Aren’t you ashamed?”

“Ashamed? Me? Why on earth?”

“….”

“Isn’t it obvious? Velcreed, that bastard, was originally my betrothed. I loved him passionately.”

As words she deemed impossible to say emerged from the mother’s mouth, surprise spread across Servis’s face.

“But that wretched child. He got infatuated with that deaf girl and broke off our engagement. I, Servis, had sacrificed everything for the marriage predestined before my birth. The day we first met, I had given my heart entirely to him. Since then, I’ve always made unseen efforts, waiting only for the moment to become the Empress.”

Servis stared at the Empress without saying a word.

‘Waited…’

He couldn’t fathom the idea of his mother waiting for someone.

“Love is poison, Servis. That lowly child will never be able to be with you. The moment you are together, nobles will use it against you. You will waver trying to protect that child from the nobles. So, refrain from feelings towards Elaine.”

Servis quickly drank the cold tea left in his cup.

“I have no feelings for her.”

With those words, Servis stood up abruptly and turned away.

“If you desire, take it by force. That is the only thing you learned from me.”

Watching his retreating figure, Herphina said,

“This time, luck was on your side. There won’t be a second chance. Don’t you understand? The Emperor has changed now. I have decoded the poison I fed him and regained the power of the past. You must be aware that many nobles were shaken at the banquet. Perhaps they spent the night weighing me and the Emperor. ”

“It doesn’t matter. If anyone blocks my path, I will cut them down without hesitation. Even if it’s you, Mother.”

Leaving only those words behind, Servis departed from the Empress’s palace.

Even in such a situation, the Empress, smiling, raised her teacup.

She remained motionless for a while, as if turned into a statue, ultimately trembling as she placed the cup down with shaking hands.

It was a premonition.

Now, I can no longer act as I please.

***

“About yesterday-”

“Don’t say a word!”

My plan to naturally apologize while having breakfast together was shattered in an instant by Elaine’s sharp shout.

Clatter, clatter—

Though the knives and forks made a steady noise, her demeanor was so cold that it felt like sitting in a scentless room.

Feeling extremely uncomfortable, I couldn’t even tell if the food was going into my mouth or my nose.

Of course, I understood Elaine’s mood perfectly well.

For her, it was justified.

Being forced to kiss when she clearly didn’t want to.

Even in my own opinion, that was no different from a crime.

But if I had to justify myself, I didn’t want it either.

At that moment, I truly felt like I wasn’t myself.

Yes.

It was an inexplicable feeling, as if some divine, transcendental being had effortlessly manipulated me.

However, despite thinking that way, it didn’t sit right with me.

Speaking out loud would just sound absurd, needless to say.

After the meal, Elaine silently retreated to her room.

I sat there quietly, resting my chin on my hand, sighing deeply while the maids cleaned up the table.

Yesterday’s banquet brought more harm than good.

The poisoned cup was never found, and my regained abilities were exposed to all.

Things would become much more dangerous than ever before.

The Empress, Duke Shurain, and Service would undoubtedly do everything in their power to kill the Emperor and me.

Fortunately, the palace servants had successfully been replaced with my people.

Yet, the Empress’s allies still lurked throughout the palace.

Among them were the Captain of the Imperial Knights and other skilled individuals.

One could never be sure of what they might attempt.

In the worst-case scenario, even Elaine could be at risk.

I needed to clean up this mess quickly.

***

“Sigh-”

Leaning against the closed door, Elaine let out a soft sigh.

She was so distracted that she couldn’t even tell if she was breathing through her nose or mouth.

Thankfully, she managed to prevent her face from turning as red as charcoal using her sacred powers.

But dealing with her pounding heart was truly unbearable.

To make matters worse, Eos insisted on bringing up yesterday’s events.

It was beyond embarrassing.

While she felt a bit sorry for slapping him, doing such a thing in front of everyone was too harsh a punishment.

Just recalling their touching lips unconsciously made her heart scream again.

In fact, she had stayed up all night just thinking about the intimate kiss she shared with Eos.

By dawn, drowsiness had started to set in, but upon seeing Eos inviting her for breakfast, sleep immediately fled.

Her mind was still in chaos.

All she could think of were Eos’s scent, warm breath, and rough breathing.

Her legs, suddenly weak, even trembled.

“What am I going to do now…?”

She couldn’t bear to face Eos.

Even without looking at him, these thoughts would flood back the moment their eyes met.

So Elaine collapsed onto the bed as if she were a corpse.

Thud—

Despite not feeling sleepy, as soon as she lay down, the sound of her own breathing faded away as she fell into a deep slumber.

Elaine began to dream.

And she was acutely aware that she was dreaming.

Before her stood…

A knight clad in golden armor and a crimson cape was visible from behind.

Emblazoned on the cape was a golden-winged lion.

The location was near the Emperor’s residence.

Dozens of such individuals were scattered about, as if they had been lying in wait.

“Kill him!”

Their identities were easily discernible.

It was because knights dressed like that often passed by the front of the Prince’s palace.

‘Imperial Knights.’

Unconsciously, those words escaped her lips, but no sound came out.

Soon after, the knights surrounded a man and began attacking from all sides.

Elaine passed through the man in front of her like he was a ghost.

And then she saw it.

A silver mane swaying fiercely with incredible agility.

Intense light filled the green eyes staring at the enemy.

‘Eos…!’

The surrounded man was undoubtedly him.

The Empire’s prince and her betrothed, Eos.

Elaine sensed it.

The dream she was having right now was undoubtedly a premonition.

“No…! He’s going to be in danger! I need to wake up quickly, I need to inform everyone about this truth!”

But no matter how hard she tried to wake up, she couldn’t.

Thud! Thump! Swish! Swish!

Several swords and spears emitting different lights pierced through Eos’s body.

Even arrows flew in from somewhere, mercilessly embedding themselves in Eos’s body.

Bright red blood flowed profusely, covering the ground.

“No, no… Eos!”

Tears streamed down Elaine’s eyes involuntarily.

It was such a vivid scene, as if it were real.

Swish-

The one who had ordered the killing belatedly drew his sword and stood before the kneeling Eos.

Elaine spread her arms to shield him, but the crimson blade ignited with red light effortlessly pierced through her body.

Thud, thud, thud-

“Aaah!!!”

Only then did Elaine wake up screaming.

Her whole body was drenched in sweat.

But now was not the time to dwell on that.

She had never experienced anything like this before.

Her intuition was warning her so strongly.

There really was no time.

“Quickly, I have to tell Eos!”

Bang!

Elaine summoned her divine power, breaking the door in an instant and rushing outside.

Even the time to open the door was too precious to waste.

Crash!

As if flying, she finally broke into Eos’s room.

But there was no one in his room.

The dancing curtains, swaying with the warm breeze, elegantly signaled that it was already too late.