Chapter 63: The Empress Dowager’s Secret (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 63: The Empress Dowager’s Secret (1)
‘Ugh, why am I being so weird!’
I shook my head violently.
I didn’t know why I was having such strange thoughts. Ever since I possessed Claudia’s body, I occasionally found myself acting or imagining things against my own will.
‘Phew.’
[Master, what’s wrong?]
‘It’s nothing.’
Bibi, who didn’t know what conversation I had overheard through Desmond, asked with a worried look as my complexion paled.
As I shook my head again, Abel, who was sitting next to me, looked over.
“Dia, why aren’t you eating?”
“Oh, I am.”
“Is it because the Ducal Lady hasn’t arrived yet?”
“Mhm.”
Since I was eavesdropping on the conversation of the Direct Lineage, I knew Veronica would be arriving soon. However, since Claudia wasn’t supposed to know that, I simply nodded at Abel’s question.
“The Ducal Lady will be here soon, so eat up.”
“Okay.”
I nodded once more and began picking at the food on my plate. To be honest, I had eaten so many desserts earlier that I wasn’t even hungry.
“Dia, this is delicious.”
“It is?”
“Yes.”
“Whoa.”
Nathaniel had never been the type to say something was delicious first. Was it really that good?
Curious, I looked down at the food Nathaniel had placed on his plate. I didn’t know the name, but the shrimp looked incredibly plump.
I happened to love seafood. With a satisfied smile, I popped a shrimp into my mouth.
‘Mmm, is this shrimp gratin?’
It had the sweet and savory taste of cheese. With just a little chewing, the tender shrimp meat melted away in my mouth.
“Is it good?”
“Yeah! It’s delicious!”
When I answered with a bright smile, Nathaniel’s stiff expression softened, becoming as smooth as the shrimp gratin.
“Dia, this is good too.”
“Huh?”
“Little Lady, try this as well.”
“O-Oh, okay.”
As soon as I ate the food Nathaniel gave me, Abel and Sophia began piling food onto my plate as well.
I didn’t think I could eat this much. I looked down in dismay, but seeing their expectant eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse.
“W-Wow. It’s so gud…”
“Right? It’s delicious, isn’t it?”
“Our Little Lady is eating so well today.”
“Heh, hehe.”
I felt like I was going to get indigestion at this rate. I forced a smile and chewed. My stomach was already bloated and reaching its limit.
“My Dia, have you been eating well?”
“Mom!”
Veronica arrived in the dining room just in time. I called out to her happily.
“You’ve been eating a lot. Is it good?”
“Mhm! You should eat too, Mom.”
“I will.”
Veronica, whose complexion had been a bit dark, sat down next to me with a faint smile.
Having heard the conversation of the Direct Lineage, I knew that the reason Veronica decided to marry Dantalion wasn’t simply because of love.
She must have resolved to fight to protect Winston. For both her and Dantalion, their love was currently a path of thorns rather than a flower path.
‘It’s okay. I’ll turn it into a Path of Flames for you!’
Have you ever heard of a so-called Path of Flames?
I was going to lay down a Path of Flames that couldn’t even be compared to a flower path or a path of thorns, so they had better look forward to it.
And so, we finished our meal in a fairly harmonious atmosphere.
*
Inside a lavish room, a woman with her red hair swept up high sat on a velvet-covered sofa.
Gabriella Lorraine Sylvester.
As the Empress Dowager of the Empire and the sole elder of the Imperial Family, she was surrounded by many people flattering her today as well.
“Your Majesty, you are truly beautiful today.”
“Thank you.”
As the Empress Dowager sipped her tea with an elegant smile, an attendant approached her.
As he whispered into her ear, the Empress Dowager’s practiced smile deepened.
“It seems our guests have arrived.”
“Guests?”
The nobles, who had been wondering, let out gasps of pure admiration as someone entered the Empress Dowager’s drawing room.
“I, I greet Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.”
Marianne looked at the Empress Dowager with nervous eyes. Gloria was with her as well.
“Welcome, Saintess.”
“O-Oh, no… I am not yet…”
“Come closer.”
“…Yes.”
The incredibly tense Marianne quickly approached at the Empress Dowager’s command. With her head bowed, she couldn’t even bring herself to look the Empress Dowager in the eye.
“Don’t be nervous. I simply wanted to meet my successor.”
“To call me your successor is far more than I deserve…”
Marianne replied in a calm tone, keeping her eyes downcast. The Empress Dowager looked at her with a pleased gaze before turning her attention.
“Gloria, you come here as well.”
“It is an honor, Your Majesty.”
Gloria was also clearly nervous, but she walked toward the Empress Dowager more calmly than Marianne.
Reaching out, the Empress Dowager took both of their hands.
“You’ve been through a lot. How difficult it must have been for the two of you?”
“N-No, not at all…”
On the surface, the Empress Dowager’s words sounded merciful. The nobles beside her, in particular, watched with envious gazes.
To the nobles, Marianne was nothing more and nothing less than the Saintess who would replace the Empress Dowager.
How much influence could a young Saintess, whom they were essentially meeting for the first time, really have?
Furthermore, although Marquis Lionel was of illegitimate birth, he held a noble title—and a high-ranking one at that. However, his mother, Gloria, did not.
There were already many among the nobles whispering behind her back, pointing out Gloria’s origins.
Despite this, the Empress Dowager, the former Saintess, paid them no mind and warmly held the mother and daughter’s hands. Everyone watched the scene with deep emotion.
“If you have any difficulties in the future, feel free to tell me at any time.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“T-Thank you.”
With a benevolent smile, the Empress Dowager had tea with the two of them along with the nobles in the drawing room.
After finishing their tea and the nobles had filed out, the Empress Dowager looked at Gloria and asked.
“Is Cedric alright now?”
“…Yes, thanks to Marianne’s Divine Power…”
“That is good to hear.”
Cedric, who had lost the duel against Dantalion, had been severely injured.
Because the wound was inflicted by a fellow Sword Master, it would normally take a long time to recover, but fortunately, Marianne had awakened as a Saintess and was able to heal him quickly.
“And I heard the news of Cedric’s divorce.”
“Ah… yes…”
Gloria’s face darkened instantly. The Empress Dowager continued to speak, still smiling.
“You and Cedric will be able to marry soon.”
“Me…?”
Gloria raised her head and stared at the Empress Dowager in surprise. The Empress Dowager nodded calmly.
“But I am not a noble…”
“Oh, don’t worry about such things. Are you not the one who conceived the Saintess? You are more than qualified.”
“Ah…”
Gloria glanced at Marianne, who was sitting next to her. Marianne sat there like a doll, her face devoid of any expression.
“If it truly bothers you, I shall become your backer. You may use my maiden family’s name as much as you like.”
“I am grateful for your grace, Your Majesty.”
Gloria’s face looked conflicted as she bowed her head. Her daughter, Marianne, seemed to have no interest in the marriage of her parents who had lived apart, and Gloria herself felt nothing but anxiety.
Everything was certainly going smoothly. Although it had been a long time since she left the Capital and she didn’t know much about the affairs of the Imperial Family and the nobility, she knew well that Cedric was close to the Empress Dowager.
So, it wasn’t strange for her to treat Cedric well, like a son. It also made sense that she would feel a sense of kinship with Marianne, the Saintess, and readily offer her maiden name to Gloria, who wasn’t a noble.
However, an ominous thought had been nagging at her for a while now. It felt as if she were committing something she shouldn’t.
“Gloria.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“You have nothing to worry about anymore.”
“…”
Gloria raised her head and met the Empress Dowager’s eyes. As she looked into those orange eyes, a warm energy seeped into her chest.
“You’ve had such a hard time until now. Think of this as being compensated for those difficult times.”
“Compensated…”
“Now, all that’s left is for you to be happy with Cedric.”
“…”
The sweet voice trickled into her ears. It was something Gloria had secretly dreamed of.
However, she couldn’t bring herself to smile happily. At the same time, a certain face came to mind.
“But I…”
Cedric had been married to another woman, not her. It was the Winston Ducal Lady. Even if they were divorced, it was difficult to keep crossing paths with the woman who must have been hurt by Cedric.
Then, as if sensing Gloria’s inner thoughts, the Empress Dowager spoke in a suggestive tone.
“If you are worried about the Winston Ducal Lady, do not be. It seems that child has already found a partner as well.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…”
“It seems Leon has sent her a letter of proposal. He must have been in quite a hurry, as he sent it without even telling me.”
“His Majesty the Emperor did…?”
Gloria’s eyes widened at the unexpected news.