The Empress and the Crown Princess (2)
***
“How many times must I say it? His Majesty will never allow it. This is not something I can accomplish with my own power!”
Karina let out a deep, frustrated sigh. Yet Ebony’s resolve remained unchanged.
“No, you can do it. You just have to burrow into the softest part of His Majesty’s heart. After that, I’ll handle persuading him.”
“What exactly are you thinking, Count Vladin? This isn’t something that can be solved by throwing a tantrum.”
“That jewel. Stop being the thief who stole it and become its true owner. Does that sound better?”
Ebony pointed at the diamond necklace hanging around Karina’s neck.
“Did you know? If you become Empress and the Archduke who joins hands with me safely becomes Crown Prince, even after His Majesty the Emperor passes away, you won’t be driven out of this palace. New nobles have no one to protect them once the Emperor dies—even if their titles are stripped. But an Empress is different.”
Ebony squared her shoulders and tapped her own chest with a long finger.
“Look at us. We were the Regentra family’s greatest political enemies, yet even after our crushing defeat, not a single one of us was executed. Do you know why? Because we produced an Empress. That’s what an Empress is. No matter how powerful the enemy, it’s difficult to depose her recklessly, and she won’t be dragged down to the bottom like everyone else.”
“……”
“Moreover, this Crown Prince will ascend to the throne not as the Emperor’s nephew, but as his legally adopted son. In other words, if you become Empress, the Crown Prince will be your legal son. Even after the Emperor passes, no one can touch the legal mother of the next Emperor.”
“…No one can touch me?”
“That’s right! Even if you end up at odds with the Crown Prince once he becomes Emperor, he still couldn’t depose you. How could he? Everything that made him Emperor was thanks to you and me!”
When a flicker of hesitation crossed Karina’s face, Ebony didn’t miss the opening.
“Become Empress, then Empress Dowager. That way, you can live as a respected elder of the imperial family for the rest of your life. No matter the age difference, you would be the highest-ranking elder in the imperial family, and even if Ishtel becomes Empress, as long as you’re alive, she would have no choice but to remain beneath you.”
Ebony leaned against a marble pillar, gently closing her eyes. Then, in a dreamy, hazy voice, she murmured.
“Just imagine it. Doesn’t it sound delightful? The person you thought you could never surpass, lying at your feet. Doesn’t the mere thought send a thrill through you?”
“I have never desired anything like that.”
Every time she looked at Ishtel Regentra, she had thought about it—how everything the other woman possessed could have been hers.
But that feeling had never led her to the idea of rising above her. Because it had always seemed realistically impossible.
“Count Vladin. Please stop planting these empty hopes in me. Every time I meet you, my heart becomes troubled.”
“Ahaha! Is that so? But I doubt it’s entirely my fault, is it?”
Ebony burst into loud laughter and shook her head.
“I merely woke up one emotion that had been sleeping peacefully in a corner of your heart. Rolling that emotion like a snowball until it grows uncontrollably large—that’s all your choice, isn’t it?”
Ebony brought a finger to her temple and spoke in a soft, coaxing tone.
“From now on, my words will keep floating through your mind. You’ll lie awake at night imagining yourself as Empress and then Empress Dowager. You say you’ve never wanted it that much? No, you will want it now. Because I’m going to keep stimulating you. I’ll awaken emotions you didn’t even know you had and set fire to the desires you’ve suppressed.”
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“Because I quite like the card called ‘Karina.’ It’s entertaining. I’m also curious what kind of person you’ll become in the end.”
“How kind of you to worry about a future I don’t even care about. I’m truly grateful.”
“I’m grateful to you too. Because you’re such a clever person. Even if you pout so cutely right now, eventually you’ll realize my plan is the best option and move exactly as I wish.”
At Ebony’s mocking, seemingly complimentary tone, Karina muttered a tiny curse under her breath. Though she was a great noble, Ebony lacked the typical noble’s sensibilities and simply smiled indulgently at even such rudeness.
“You won’t be able to become Empress right away. First, let’s secure the title of Duchess. The one Her late Majesty the Empress held when she was Crown Princess—Duchess of Lockfelt. That would put you on equal footing with Ishtel. We can think about what comes after later.”
“What exactly do you want from me? You suddenly tell me to become Empress, to go get the title of Duchess? Not only His Majesty, but all the other nobles will obviously oppose it. How on earth am I supposed to do that?!”
Karina’s sharp voice rose in a sudden outburst. Anger surged within her. She, too, had instinctively realized that this was not something to rush into.
If it weren’t for my sister’s matter, I would never get involved with a person like this.
Karina glared at Ebony and bit hard on the inside of her lip. The hand she had willingly grasped for revenge had returned as an inescapable double-edged sword.
“Why are you getting so worked up? I’m saying all this for your own good.”
Ebony clicked her tongue as if she couldn’t understand Karina’s reaction.
“Face reality, Karina. In the end, what do you have left? Did you get your nephew back? Did you properly take revenge for your sister? How weak. Stop saying it’s impossible and think about what you could gain if you became Empress. Don’t you want to get your nephew back?”
At the mention of Rubia, Karina’s expression grew troubled as she rubbed her face. Ebony was right. As long as Ishtel Regentra stood above her, Rubia would continue to grow up in the House of Count Silanda.
To take Rubia back, she needed power stronger than Ishtel’s.
“Go to His Majesty as I told you. Go and make His Majesty so heartbroken for you that he doesn’t know what to do. Throw a tantrum, cry your eyes out, sob and whine if you must. I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Is that all you’re ordering me to do? Go to the father of the empire and throw a childish fit?”
“Why? Does it hurt your pride? But what can you do? That’s the only use you have right now.”
Ebony lifted her chin haughtily toward Karina, looking down at her as her voice dropped low.
“Were you planning to go to His Majesty with your head held high like Ishtel Regentra and say, ‘Please make me Empress’? No, you’re not at that level yet.”
“Why do you keep bringing her up?”
“Because there’s no better bait to provoke you than that woman.”
When she saw Karina’s face harden, Ebony relaxed her stiff expression and let out a small laugh.
Ishtel and Karina. The more she watched them, the more entertaining their relationship became.
“Have you ever seen Ishtel Regentra bow her head to anyone or beg for something? No, right? That woman’s power wasn’t borrowed from anyone else. That’s the difference between you and her. Without His Majesty, you’re nothing.”
“……”
“So become Empress. Once you become Empress and then Empress Dowager, power will flow from you as well.”
Ebony glanced at the pensive Karina, then picked up the wide-brimmed hat she had left on the table.
“Until now, to that woman you were nothing more than the Emperor’s favored mistress—nothing more, nothing less. So from now on, let’s get a little more entangled, shall we?”
The shadow cast by the hat’s brim covered Ebony’s face. But the violet gleam in her eyes as she looked at Karina remained dangerously vivid.
“Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. How about it? That sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?”
After Illid had called me by a different name, I had not met with him again.
He did not come to my residence, but he sent letters every day through the maids. I returned them unopened.
Illid left his seclusion and returned to his duties. The southern vassals, who had been anxious about their lord’s withdrawal, welcomed his return with open arms. His Majesty the Emperor also praised Illid for attending the imperial council and entrusted him with many important tasks.
Rabi, who was investigating the South and the Whierton family, had yet to deliver any significant results. While I waited for the story he would bring, I was also afraid of learning the entire truth.
Karina had taken over all the inner management of the palace, and I kept my distance from Illid. In my once endlessly busy daily life, an unexpected amount of free time had appeared.
I visited the aviary. These days, the only things I did were come here or help with Hellion’s work—those two things alone. Today the weather was exceptionally fine, so I had arranged to meet Hellion here at the aviary.
“Ishtel, sad? Sad?”
May, who usually spent all her time teasing me, crept closer and rubbed her small head against my shoulder. She must have grown worried seeing me standing there with a stiff expression, staring only at documents.
“No, I’m fine.”
“If Ishtel sad, Primos sad.”
May was especially fond of Primos. After his death, she had refused to eat for a long time and only cried sorrowfully. Even after so much time had passed, she still thought of him like this.
“Do you miss Primos too, May?”
“Primos love Ishtel! Primos love Ishtel!”
Thinking of her former master put May in a good mood, and she shouted her love at the top of her lungs. I stroked the clever creature’s head and neck.
“Hellion love Ishtel too! So so so much love!”
“May, where did you learn to say things like that? Did Hellion teach you?”
When I burst into laughter, May shook her head vigorously.
“Eyes! Eyes!”
“Eyes…?”
“Primos eyes! Hellion eyes! Love Ishtel!”
“Primos and Hellion’s eyes love me?”
“Shy! Shy!”
May buried her head in my arms and mumbled adorably.
“Yes, our May is the smartest one.”
I offered the cute creature a piece of sweet apple. May hummed a cheerful little tune, took the apple in her beak, and flew back to her cage.
Primos and Hellion do have the same eye color.
The Crown Prince and both Archdukes had inherited the imperial family’s signature blue eyes.
After the two Archdukes came to the palace, May saw Illid almost as often as she saw Hellion. Being such a clever child, she must have noticed that all three of them shared the same eyes.
But in the end, May never spoke Illid’s name.