The Deposition of the Empress
It took less than a week for the rumors that Empress Lillian had attempted to flee for the sake of a man to spread throughout the capital. It would not take long for the news to reach every corner of the Empire. Diplomats staying in the capital had already relayed the shocking scandal back to their respective nations.
Every printing house worked through the night to churn out extra editions of the newspapers, and reporters scoured every corner of the city in search of further scoops. Regardless of status or station, whenever two or more people gathered, they spoke of the Empress. At this moment, the highest-ranking noble and a chimney-sweeping child could have held a conversation on the very same topic.
"To think she’d lose her mind over an actor and try to run away from the Imperial Palace. And they say the man didn't even have any real feelings for her."
"Well, you can't help inherent vulgarity. She didn't even stop to consider her own status."
"Sion Miller, that’s the man who acted at the Rih Theater, right? He’s a famous actor. He was a beauty who could make even a blind man open his eyes in awe. He once came to my shop to buy flowers, and the way he flashed that soft, charming smile... he was certainly built to bewitch women."
"If the man in question is Sion, I suppose it’s not entirely incomprehensible."
"Actually, it seems Sion had several noblewomen as his lovers. Well, isn't that a common occurrence? But for a woman of such a lofty position as the Empress to lose her wits and run off... that’s a different matter entirely."
"There was talk, you know. That they... did it in Sion’s dressing room. Good heavens."
This scandal was laced with every sort of story that people loved to consume. The sanctity of the Imperial family had been dragged through the dirt, and the name of a famous, handsome actor was being bandied about. There were more than a few who felt a perverse pleasure in seeing a woman who had risen in status solely through her beauty fall back down to roll in the mud, and lewd whispers followed in the wake of the news.
As it passed from mouth to mouth, the scandal began to branch out.
"This is treason against the nation."
There were even those who went so far as to make such claims.
"With a woman so obsessed with a man, can we really trust the lineage of the Imperial Princess...?"
Fearing that such talk might reach the ears of the Schwab faction, they didn't dare say it openly, but there were those who whispered exactly that.
The nobles were a bit more cautious, but they harbored similar concerns.
The Schwab faction had given up on trying to suppress the scandal surrounding the Empress. There were too many witnesses, and the nature of the incident made it impossible to bury.
"The Empress is finished. But it will be difficult to seize control of the Imperial Palace immediately in the name of the Imperial Princess. This is a major problem."
"Will they try to install a new Empress? It’s not impossible, but..."
The nobles who supported the Schwab faction exchanged anxious words among themselves. Even if Roella were to take hold of the palace's internal affairs or install a new Empress to seize control, the influence of the Schwab family, which had been chipped away by this incident, would not return overnight.
The Royalist nobles were harboring the exact opposite concern.
"Princess Roella is already an adult. The one we need to worry about now is His Majesty the Emperor."
There was no law stating that the Schwab faction wouldn't take extreme measures. Ezekiel, the current Duke of Schwab, had a far more radical personality than his predecessor. Instead of spending time and years rebuilding their power, he might choose to eliminate the Emperor entirely and seat Princess Roella on the throne.
Even Count Andex, who knew of Olivia's existence, shared similar concerns.
"Wouldn't it be better to hurry?"
"It’s fine for now. If His Majesty the Emperor were to pass away before the disposition of Empress Lillian is decided, then we truly wouldn't be able to stop people's tongues."
Olivia spoke calmly.
"And above all, if we do that now, we would have no choice but to place Princess Roella directly on the throne. Ezekiel Schwab would never allow that."
It would be natural to marry Roella first and receive the throne from the Emperor as his son-in-law. If Roella were to ascend to the throne first, Ezekiel would have to remain in the position of 'Imperial Consort,' regardless of who held the real power. Receiving the throne from his wife would be unnatural. That did not align with the Schwab family’s desire to seize the Sirach Empire through 'succession' rather than 'usurpation.'
Changing the dynasty naturally through their children was something worth considering, but given Ezekiel's personality, that was unlikely.
"That man could never endure being a subordinate to Princess Roella. Even now, he likely considers the courtesy he shows the Princess as the Duke of Schwab to be a mere grace period, and he is barely holding himself back."
Olivia spoke with conviction.
No one in this room knew Ezekiel as well as she did. Especially regarding how he viewed the women he shared his bed with.
"But we must begin the preparations."
"Yes. As you instructed, we are preparing the personnel for when you enter the palace. Most have already been contacted."
"What about the Head Maid, Sophia?"
"We swapped out her family before surveillance could be attached. It turns out the Head Maid hadn't actually brought her own family into the Schwab organization."
Theodore answered respectfully upon hearing Olivia's question.
She frowned slightly at the formal register, but no one noticed. However, she could no longer encourage Theodore to speak casually. Everyone in this meeting room knew she was the Imperial Princess, and they were treating her accordingly.
She decided to stop using the excuse of "for now."
A hopeful atmosphere seemed to permeate the hearts of everyone except her and Theodore. She did not want to break that, so she offered a soft smile.
Failure to maintain the Empress's quarters. Breach of security. Subject is currently being held for immediate sentencing.
"I find it hard to believe, Sophia. I entrusted you with the entirety of the Empress's palace because I believed you were capable."
Sophia, kneeling before the coldly spitting Ezekiel, prostrated herself until her head touched the floor. Her body trembled violently.
"I am sorry."
"I am beginning to doubt the judgment of my father, who selected you."
The previous Duke had been a stern man, but Ezekiel’s coldness was far greater. He did not view people as human beings, and he considered anyone with a perspective different from his own to be a fool.
Sophia considered it fortunate that he didn't even ask how such a thing had happened. Even if it had been a lack of ability, she wouldn't have been forgiven anyway, but if the reason for the breach had been anything other than incompetence—such as sympathy or complacency—the punishment would have been even greater.
"Please, I beg you to be lenient with my family..."
Sophia desperately pleaded for that alone. Although she was a noble, she was a woman from a fallen house, and she had been entrusted with Lillian purely because she had caught the eye of the previous Duke. She was the actual breadwinner, and her family had no use to the Schwab ducal house.
She didn't expect the Schwab family to treat her family with favor as they had until now. She simply hoped that the repercussions of her punishment would not reach them. However, Ezekiel let out a mocking laugh.
"You have quite the nerve."
"Please, I beg of you."
Sophia pleaded, unable to even bring herself to ask him to consider her years of service. Ezekiel waved his hand as if he didn't even want to hear it.
"Drag her away. Throw her into Vintertal. Since you seem so worried about your family, it would be best to send them along with you."
"My Lord...!"
Sophia cried out in agony. The Vintertal mines were the worst work site in the Schwab duchy, operated solely by prisoners sentenced to forced labor. Those who entered there died within three years on average.
She could accept her own fate. She was the one who had failed. But it was cruel to send her family there as well.
However, Ezekiel didn't twitch an eyebrow. His gaze had already shifted back to his documents, as if he had lost interest in Sophia.
The knights hesitated for a moment, seemingly uncomfortable with dragging away Sophia, who had long served as a key figure in the ducal house. But when Ezekiel flicked his finger, signaling them to leave, they moved with long, decisive strides.
"My Lord, My Lord! Please...!"
As she was grabbed by both arms and hoisted up, Sophia finally wailed as if she were collapsing. The knights easily dragged her out of the study.
"Punish only me... punish only me!"
Her desperate, frantic echoes rang through the hallway, but no response came. There were many who felt pity for her, but because no one dared to defy the Duke's orders, they simply lowered their heads.