I Will Surrender My Position as the Empress - Chapter 45
Meanwhile, Karl stood outside the door, seemingly counting the elongated moments, as if someone were unraveling time at both ends. Frowning at the unusual silence beyond the door, he tilted his head.
“She fell asleep and woke up? If that’s the case, it’s unnecessary.”
Without hesitation, Karl reached for the doorknob. Just as he was about to turn it, the door opened from the inside. Lady Giggs, who had been about to open the door herself, widened her eyes at the sight of the Emperor standing close by. She quickly composed herself, smoothed her expression, and politely stepped aside.
“Please come in.”
As Karl took a step inside, Lady Giggs quietly closed the door behind him. He consciously scanned the surroundings and took a deep breath, as if trying to absorb the ambiance. There was a faint scent of spring flowers mixed in the warm humidity. The fragrance kept teasing him. He walked briskly down the long corridor, turning right at the end, and suddenly, Empress Adele appeared in front of him, backlit by the dazzling sunlight pouring in from behind. The radiant sunlight created a picturesque backdrop, causing Karl to come to a sudden stop.
“Welcome, Your Majesty.”
Adele greeted him with her low and cool voice, to which Karl responded, “How is your health?”
“Can’t you tell just by looking? Shouldn’t you be resting more?”
Although Adele silently grumbled inwardly, she didn’t show it. Karl sat across from her and stared at her intently. Her already graceful face seemed even more refined, and her golden eyes appeared larger. With her hair swept to one side, the Empress gazed back at him with a pale, almost translucent complexion, typical of someone who had just awakened from illness. His persistent gaze made Adele feel uneasy.
“He… really can’t adapt, can he?”
Adele seriously pondered if the man in front of her was truly the Emperor. Why had he suddenly changed his attitude? She scrutinized him with suspicious eyes. His beautiful face glistened in the sunlight.
“He looks perfectly fine on the surface. What on earth is bothering him?”
At that moment, Karl spoke.
“Did you ever lose consciousness like this when you were in Gottrov?”
“No.”
“But why suddenly… The council members also said they didn’t know the cause. You should get regular check-ups from them.”
“Alright, I’ll do that.”
“…”
“…”
Silence fell. Adele couldn’t gauge the Emperor’s intentions, so she observed him, while Karl silently watched her. Karl’s stretched-out time seemed to come to a halt. His black hair, combed to one side, glistened in the sunlight, and his golden eyes seemed to capture that sunlight. Just before she had collapsed, her eyes, which he had looked down into from very close, had tiny threads of gold delicately woven in them. The Emperor stared at Adele as if he were enchanted.
“Oh… quite beautiful. …and so different from that person.”
“Adelaide Ulrich Ehmont.”
Karl slowly pronounced her name. Instinctively, Adele furrowed her brow, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“Adelaide Ulrich Ehmont.”
This time, he pronounced her name more clearly. It somehow sounded like a song.
“Yes, I married you. You are my Empress.”
The day they first saw each other at the wedding venue, Adelaide became engraved in Karl’s mind. A supremely empress-like, delicate figure, a graceful demeanor. He thought it would ignite a desire to dominate. It was a misconception. No, it was more subtly different. If it had been just about wanting to dominate, he would have never lowered his head before Adelaide, regardless of the circumstances. Finally realizing his own heart, Karl smiled deeply. His face, as he closed his eyes and smiled, was astonishingly beautiful and enchanting. Like a flower with poison.
“Your Majesty?”
Not understanding the emotional context, Adele tilted her head and furrowed her brows. Karl lowered his head, smoothing out his expression, and then he whispered in a low voice.
“I shouldn’t keep someone who needs rest for too long. I simply came to see you after waking up.”
Adelaide Ulrich Ehmont. A golden moon that tore through the dark, oppressive darkness. Light to fill the empty and dark abyss. Karl’s deep, dark sea stirred gently, and then something suddenly broke through the surface and raised its head.
****
“I don’t know what it is, but something is definitely not right…”
As the Emperor left and the door closed, Adele muttered blankly. Memories that hadn’t been pleasant from the wedding onwards flashed through her mind like a whirlwind. He had been fussing about the hairpins and the floral decorations, and then he had turned her into nothing more than a puppet Empress. So what had she done?
“That wasn’t a big mistake, was it?”
The Emperor had been angry about that incident, rushing over and growling furiously. But upon sober reflection, it wasn’t Diane Poiter Karl who had been struck by it.
“The day I returned…”
Adele’s expression shifted subtly as she recalled the day she returned to the palace.
“Yes, something has been strange since that day.”
She growled and suddenly laughed, her eyes rolling. What was it? Why did he suddenly change his stance as if turning his hand over?
“…I will build a very wide fence. …You belong to me.”
The voice that came to mind felt like a dream and yet not quite. Lady Giggs entered the room.
“Your Majesty.”
“Yes, Empress.”
“When I was unconscious, the Emperor mentioned that he had come. Do you happen to remember what he said to me at that time?”
In response to the Empress’s question, Lady Giggs lowered her head.
“I apologize. I had withdrawn a bit, so…”
“Why do you ask?”
“…No reason.”
Adele kept thinking without getting up from her seat. Lady Giggs, who had been observing the Empress, spoke as if she had peered into her thoughts.
“I don’t know the reason, but it seems that Your Majesty has undergone a change in mood. Is it not a bad thing?”
“…?”
When the Empress remained silent, Lady Giggs didn’t press further but instead brewed some tea. She lit fragrant herbs in various places and brought a warm cup of herbal tea, claiming it was good for calming the mind. As the refreshing scent wafted into the Empress’s nostrils, her heavy thoughts seemed to lighten a bit. After taking a deep sip of the tea, Adele closed her eyes.
“Please save me, Your Majesty, the Empress!”
The voice of an enraged and hoary-headed count. If only she had never known that hell. Or perhaps, if she had not possessed the strength to break that hell, would it have been easier? Adele sighed. Finally, she opened her eyes, sharpening her thoughts.
Firstly, it was certain that the Emperor’s mood had changed. Like Lady Giggs had said, it might not be immediately bad, but it couldn’t be trusted in the long run. One could never predict when a changed heart might change again for no reason. Secondly, she needed power. However, for the reasons she had considered earlier, she needed strength that came from herself rather than relying on the Emperor’s love. In conclusion, regardless of the Emperor’s changes, she should proceed with what she had planned.
On the first day at Baldr Manor, the Duke had proposed that she be officially recognized as a sorceress.
“If you are recognized as a sorceress, you will gain the right to speak as a sorceress, even to Empress. It would be even better if you could attend the Central Council.”
Currently, all rights to speak about the Tower were monopolized by Duke Desponé and Lennox Portier, so no one could argue against what they did. From Adele’s position without power, establishing herself as a sorceress and gaining strength seemed advantageous, so the Empress had accepted the Duke’s proposal. A map speckled with blood-like stains on transparent red stones. A girl who spoke of her parents’ deaths with a tone of condemnation and a boy who considered exploitation a virtue. Adele was convinced. If Ehmont continued to rot like this, Karl Ulrich Ehmont would surely fail. In any case, it was certain that he would.
“What crime have I committed?”
Adele muttered self-pityingly as she got up from her seat, changed her clothes, and strode out of the room with determined steps. The sooner she did what needed to be done, the better. Her once lethargic and numb mind had now become keen.
****
Rumors spread like wildfire. Stories about the Emperor frequently visiting the Empress’s palace and being concerned about her health began to stir up the Ehmont social circles. As a result, people’s attention naturally turned to Diane Portier and Lionel Baldr. Some hot-tempered individuals were already speculating when Diane Portier would leave the palace or when Lionel Baldr would resign from his position as advisor.
These rumors reached a point where Theseus, who had not returned home for days, came to the palace from his residence to see his brother.
“Brother.”
Lionel, who had been attending to official business in the residence, hastily got up from his seat in response to Theseus’s sudden visit.
“Why have you not returned home for days, saying you’re busy with work?”
“Why wouldn’t I be busy? Please, have a seat.”
Lionel gestured to a seat and began to prepare tea, but Theseus shook his head.
“No, I’m fine with tea.”
Lionel lowered his hand that had been preparing tea and approached Theseus, sitting down in front of him. Theseus stared at his younger brother’s face in silence for a long while. In his brother’s silence and gaze, Lionel immediately grasped why he had come.
“Michael has left.”
“…”
“He advised me to find the right time to resign from my advisory position.”
Theseus examined Lionel with a cautious expression before asking, “So, what do you think?”
“Anyway, isn’t it inevitable to resign from the advisory position at some point? It’s just a matter of timing. There’s nothing special. However, since Empress also had something she wanted to gain through me, wouldn’t it be premature to find the right time to quit right now?”
The response came faster and longer than expected, as if it had been thought out and prepared in advance. Theseus pondered his brother’s words for a moment and muttered under his breath.
“It would be nice if the Empress could attend the Central Council and change the autocratic discussions about the Tower through me…”
But if that were to happen, the Empress would inevitably come into conflict with the Emperor. Theseus’s eyes darkened. Selfish as it may be, he personally hoped that the relationship between the Emperor and Empress would continue as it was for a while. It was partly because he had expected that the Emperor might have worried about the involvement of the House of Ehmont in advance. He couldn’t help considering all possibilities.
“Lionel.”
When he called out with a resolute voice, Lionel smiled faintly on purpose.
“Don’t worry, Brother. I understand your concerns.”
“…”
“Don’t worry. I will handle it carefully.”
The brothers exchanged firm gazes, each understanding the other’s thoughts. Theseus stared into Lionel’s eyes, which were the same color as his own, filled with affection and trust, and then he too smiled faintly before straightening up and leaving the room.
“By the way, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Her Majesty the Empress has awakened.”
Lionel, who had risen with Theseus, paused at the news. Theseus tapped Lionel’s shoulder without thinking, who had frozen in place and was holding his breath.
“Keep a close watch. If you judge it’s dangerous, don’t hesitate to step back. It’s better to be swift in such situations, so you don’t need to ask me.”
With those words, Theseus turned and walked away. Only after the door clicked shut did Lionel finally release the breath he had been holding. Although the autumn sun embraced his back, he felt as if a chill ran through him. Something cold seemed to slide slowly down his spine like a snake.
It was his instinct sounding an alarm, urging him to get out immediately. No, the alarm had been ringing for a long time already. Get out before you get any deeper. However, Lionel felt himself being sucked in even deeper instead.
****
Lennox also sensed the strange atmosphere in the palace. How could he not? When he heard the news that the Emperor had once again gone to the Empress’s palace, he couldn’t sit still and finally began running to the imperial palace where Diane was.
When he arrived at Diane’s room, the corridor was subtly chaotic.
“What’s going on?” Lennox grabbed a maid who was waiting and asked.
The maid quickly bowed and greeted him before replying, “Marquis of Portier, Her Excellency the Viscountess is not feeling well, so the court physicians are examining her.”
“Diane is not feeling well?”
“Yes.”
Lennox furrowed his brow deeply. He couldn’t help but mutter in frustration.
“Is this foolish girl’s body finally breaking down from all her nonsense?”
“Open the door.”
“Oh… Please wait a moment.”
The maid, with a troubled expression, hesitated but eventually opened the door and quickly closed it behind her. It seemed as though she didn’t want anyone to see what was happening inside. Lennox raised an eyebrow in response to the odd impression. A little later, just before Lennox’s patience wore thin, the maid opened the door slightly.
“Please come in.”
Lennox, who had been about to knock on the door, withdrew his hand and entered through the partially open door. He scolded the maid irritably.
“Why did you open the door like that? What’s happening inside?”
Then, it happened.
“Brother!”
The voice that reached his ears was strangely cheerful. Lennox squinted and turned his head. Such a cheerful voice in this situation? Diane was seated on the bed, and two female court physicians were standing beside her. Surprisingly, Diane’s complexion seemed to have improved. Lennox felt a strange sense of discomfort wash over him as he gazed at her. It was as though she was… no, exactly, she seemed elated.
