Chapter 97
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 97
“Y-Your Majesty!”
Even though her dress was soaked in blood, Carmi looked up at Olivia—who had clearly rushed out upon hearing the horrific news—and wailed piteously.
“What does the life of a mere child matter if it means appeasing Your Majesty’s wrath? It doesn’t even deserve to have been born. So please, I beg of you, let your anger be quelled…”
The face of the Ice Empress, her former master Olivia, turned deathly pale for the first time.
“How dare you behave like this in the Empress’s presence! Your Majesty, please, do not look!”
“Drag this woman away!”
Carmi didn’t care that the maids were screaming with fierce expressions.
Only one thing filled her vision.
Empress Olivia’s bloodless face.
Carmi fainted then and there, but she later heard that Empress Olivia’s health had declined noticeably afterward.
It was said that while Olivia barely managed to give birth to Ferdinand with the help of divine power, she remained as cold as ice toward Emperor Alexander, as if she never intended to see him again.
It was Carmi who filled that void.
Thanks to her relentless efforts, never missing a single opportunity, Carmi even gave birth to the Second Prince, Dave, a few years later.
When Empress Olivia eventually passed away, the position became hers.
This seat had been hers for an eternity.
And Ferdinand’s seat would also…
“It must become my son’s…”
Carmi murmured under her breath.
The maids focused intently on her grooming, pretending they hadn't heard a thing.
Carmi cast a glance at the pretty maid reflected in the mirror.
“Your fingers are quite clumsy.”
“I-I am deeply sorry, Your Majesty.”
If the Head Maid had been here, a maid with such looks would never have been allowed into the Empress’s Palace.
Currently, the Head Maid had been sent specifically to the Crown Prince’s Palace.
This was because Ferdinand had finally lost his mind and announced he was heading to the battlefield himself.
Whatever he was plotting, Carmi was busy pulling every string possible to ensure he never returned.
Because of the resulting staff shortage, it seemed this pretty maid had managed to slip into her palace.
“I’ve lost count of how many strands of hair you’ve pulled out. You don’t belong in the Empress’s Palace.”
The maid’s face turned ashen at Empress Carmi’s words.
“Get out.”
“Y-Your Majesty! I was wrong! Please!”
At Empress Carmi’s subtle nod, the other maids took the hint and lunged forward.
The maid was dragged out, screaming in despair.
Carmi looked back at the mirror, gazing at the beauty that shone like sunlight.
The North Wind had failed to strip the traveler of his cloak.
In the end, it was the warm sunlight that made the traveler undress; thus, Emperor Alexander would never be able to look at any woman but her.
And of course, she intended to properly dispose of that son the Emperor so despised.
Empress Carmi smiled.
“Bring me fresh stationery. I must send a reply to Grand Duke Asis Frezier.”
* * *
“You’re a seriously crazy star. You know that?”
I ground my teeth as I looked up at the air.
A golden star with a mysterious aura, faintly sprinkling stardust.
Hah. It’s annoyingly pretty.
At first, I thought the star looked like a fairy, but lately, it looked more like a monster.
I crossed my arms and glared at the text floating in the air.
[System] Sudden Quest Manifested!
[System] Sudden Quest: Accept ‘Empress Carmi’s’ Letter
Success Reward: ???
Failure Penalty: ‘Personality’ Stat Reset, ‘Wealth’ Stat Reset
(!Special Condition) Stats cannot be changed until the quest is completed.
.
.
.
(☆Tip: The riper the rice, the lower it bows!)
It was impressive how every single word managed to turn my stomach.
That damn tip, in particular, was driving me insane.
You bastard, you’re definitely messing with me. Right? Aren't you?
Just as saying "It's quiet today" or "There's not much work today" are forbidden words for office workers, I should never have thought that I’d reach A-Rank without a hitch!
I took a deep breath.
It wasn't even about meeting the male leads; I had to meet the Empress.
And she was someone who, if anything, harbored hostility toward me, not a shred of goodwill.
Knock, knock.
“Lady Tulia. We will arrive at the Imperial Capital shortly.”
“Is the carriage comfortable?”
The knights and aides took turns knocking on the carriage window to ask. They seemed to check in every ten minutes.
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
When I answered like that, they withdrew, looking relieved.
Why does Grandfather attach so many knights to me every time I go out?
When he offered to send the 1st Division with me, I had a slight suspicion he was asking me to invade the Imperial Palace.
Anyway.
[In that case, I would like to invite Lady Tulia, whose fame is so widespread these days, to my tea party.]
I had no idea what Empress Carmi was thinking, inviting me to the Imperial Palace after her request to visit the Grand Duchy was rejected.
Was her goal me all along, not Sophia, even when she said she wanted to come to the Grand Duchy?
A tea party…
Right. I know. This is an event I went through a few times as Corico.
The Empress personally selecting and inviting a noble lady ahead of her debutante.
It was a unique privilege of the Empress of the Brillant Empire and a tremendous honor.
That was why it wasn't an event I encountered often while playing The Milk Bread.
As the letter said, the prerequisite of being "widely famous" had to be met to be invited to the Empress’s tea party before the debutante.
In other words, it was a rare event that could only be seen if you trained Corico rigorously from the start.
I’m not happy about this at all…
I’d rather deal with someone who screams, gets angry, and slaps the Crown Prince. Isn't someone who smiles kindly while striking a young boy’s face until it bleeds much more sinister and unsettling?
Grandfather didn't seem pleased about it either.
“But Grandfather, what are you doing?”
“I intend to accompany you.”
“Pardon? But… only young ladies under twenty were invited…?”
I broke a sweat wondering what a man of his advanced age was going to do among ladies enjoying a tea party that was basically playing house.
Up to that point… I thought Grandfather was just really worried about me.
Like the doting behavior of a grandfather overflowing with love, worrying about his frightened granddaughter?
Well, half of it was that kind of worry, but the other half was my misunderstanding.
Grandfather was worried about something else.
I expected it from Leon, but I didn't think Lisian would also beg Grandfather several times to go along.
To an outsider, it might look like I was a dearly loved youngest sister.
But I knew…
What they were truly worried about.
“G-Grandfather, the Imperial Palace is, well, very strict with e-etiquette, so Tulia might get a-angry.”
“Hmm…”
“What if Tulia grabs the Imperial nobles by the hair and shakes them?”
“Your point isn't entirely without merit, Leon.”
Leon spoke with a solemn expression.
“Yes. If that happens, I’d rather offer my own hair to Tulia, Grandfather.”
Right.
They were afraid Tulia’s old personality would burst out at the Imperial Palace.
Unlike the Grand Duchy, the nobles residing in the Imperial Capital had a different orbit of submission.
It was only natural. The nobles in the Grand Duchy were all Grandfather’s vassals, after all.
While they might cut me some slack for being the Grand Duke’s granddaughter, the nobles in the capital were much more likely to clash with Tulia.
In fact, in The Milk Bread, Tulia really did go around grabbing all the capital nobles by their hair.
Leon, in particular, was worried that if I lost my temper, I’d surely climb onto the Emperor’s throne barefoot and perform a dance of rage.
The fact that he was being serious and not joking made me feel a faint surge of irritation.
Of course, the old Tulia would have been more than capable of that.
But I’m just a regular person.
A regular person who’s actually terrified because I don’t know the Empress’s true intentions!
Regardless, the carriage raced on without rest and finally…
“Lady Tulia Frezier. A sincere welcome to the Imperial Palace.”