I Will Surrender My Position as the Empress - Chapter 56
Meanwhile, at the Grand Estate, a woman with a stunning black strap that did not match her glamorous golden hair stood on the castle terrace. She was Elizabeth Ulrich Grand, the Duchess of Grand, and the half-sister of the Emperor. Elizabeth squinted her eyes sharply as she observed the influx of refugees. The crisis caused by famine seemed almost trivial, considering the immediate struggle for survival. Morality, norms, and ethics meant less than a piece of bread lying on the ground to those who couldn’t resolve the issue of eating and living. In the face of hunger, fists took precedence over laws. In an attempt to address this chaos, Elizabeth’s efforts attracted even more refugees. Her estate, not far from the capital, led even residents of the city slums to seek refuge.
Her estate was now saturated with refugees, and with no more funds to provide aid, Elizabeth clenched her fists tightly. The herald, who had conveyed messages under her blazing anger, stepped back two paces.
“Those damn bastards!”
Elizabeth spat out curses vehemently, expressing her volcanic rage. The Duchy of Despone, the only thing on that mad author’s mind, had no place in this country. The throne? He didn’t want it, finding it bothersome. The weight of the throne, monitored day in and day out with immense responsibilities, was something he didn’t want to bear. Yet, the one desiring power akin to the emperor was this selfish and desire-filled individual. How selfish and childish were his desires? When Elizabeth heard the news of his infertility, she genuinely rejoiced. She was worried about producing a monster like him, but it turned out to be a stroke of luck. But the one playing the role of that damn author was none other than the Emperor himself!
Karl never liked her from the beginning, being the stepdaughter of the former Empress. Elizabeth, too, didn’t appreciate him just for being a man. Despite their differences, they each maintained a certain level of respect. Even when Elizabeth fought with the Duke of Despone at the central council, Karl didn’t immediately cast her aside. Similarly, Elizabeth refrained from directly blaming Karl. However, by divorcing Theseus and with the arrival of Diane, the fragile balance completely crumbled, leaving no room for reconciliation. The wind carried the scent of autumn, mixing with the smoke, and furrowed Elizabeth’s brow. Refugees lit fires throughout the Grand Forest to escape the cold. The once-beautiful forest now bears black scars from several incidents of fire. However, Elizabeth couldn’t punish them; it wouldn’t solve the fundamental problem.
“I will go to the capital.”
“Yes? The capital?”
“Yes. During my absence, I will entrust the affairs of the estate to Nebern. Be aware of that. I will depart soon, so prepare yourself.”
Several letters had already arrived from Lady Giggs, and it seemed she was deeply infatuated with the newly arrived Empress.
“The Empress is a sorceress.”
Not only was she a formidable individual capable of destroying a tower on her own, but she also demonstrated the ability to squeeze gold bars for Count Calvin. It seemed necessary to meet her.
****
The day after leaving the capital, the expeditionary force, which had set out as soon as dawn broke, moved at a terrifying speed, allowing them to set foot on the ground only as the sun was setting, much like the previous day. However, unlike yesterday, when they struggled as novices, the sorcerers now seemed to be overflowing with vitality. This was because they had entered the magical radius of the tower. The magical radius refers to the range affected by the magic emitted from the tower. The higher the tower, the broader the range of influence, but ultimately, the utilization of that magic depended on the sorcerer’s ability. The sorcerers floated in the sea of magic like fish encountering water. Their bodies felt light as if gravity had disappeared, and even small movements attracted magic to them like a magnet.
“Ah, how long has it been since I tasted magic like this?”
“That’s right. It feels like being reborn.”
Watching the two sorcerers who whispered to each other and moved away, Adele turned her gaze away with a bitter expression. The sense of liberation she felt as a sorcerer sometimes approached her as a feeling of guilt. This was because the magical radius coincided with the activity radius of the magical beast, something that could only exist with magic. Adele unconsciously glanced toward Lionel. He was engaged in conversation with his knights in front of his tent. Adele turned her gaze away from him and entered the tent assigned to her. Warm water and simple food were modestly prepared, and three layers of fur blankets were spread on the bed. Sitting on the bed, Adele gazed at Lionel. He had paid attention to even the smallest things when it came to her. He was a grateful person.
As Adele rose from her seat to wash her hands, a voice was heard from outside.
“Your Majesty, Lionel Baldr, may I enter for a moment?”
When Adele granted permission, the tent partially opened, and Lionel pushed his way in.
“Is there anything uncomfortable?”
Adele smiled as if satisfied, looking around.
“It’s as comfortable as the Empress’s palace, so don’t worry.”
Lionel stepped back with a gentle smile at her jest.
In the deep, quiet night where even the crickets ceased their cries, Adele, who was immersed in the sweet embrace of deep sleep, suddenly opened her eyes. Fumbling in the darkness with a blurry gaze that blurred the boundaries between dream and reality for a while, Adele slowly regained her senses and tried to sit up.
Huh?
However, something bound her limbs, making it impossible to move an inch.
Scissors? … No.
It was different from the feeling of scissors. A sense of danger surged from the artificial pressure. Adele, who had been struggling to get up somehow, completely gave up and thought.
Magic.
Magic was intricately pressing on her body. If someone could manipulate magic so freely, they wouldn’t be an ordinary wizard. Adele pondered hard about who might possess such skill within the sorcerer’s guild.
What does someone want after binding me?
Adele sensitively focused her attention and listened carefully. After a while, cautious footsteps were heard, and then she felt someone slowly opening the door of her tent. Soon after, a sharp and crisp sound cut through the silent air carefully. It was undoubtedly the sound of drawing a sword. Adele immediately raised her magic. The opponent’s magic, which had been pressing on her, confronted her magic as if in a brief struggle, but soon, it gradually retreated against her power and disappeared without a trace. Meanwhile, like a cat burglar, the intruder, who had sneaked into the Empress’s tent, rushed at her in an instant, brandishing a dagger.
“You shouldn’t have.”
Despite the would-be assassin’s being startled by the Empress’s voice, who had said she wouldn’t scream, he quickly recovered and forcefully thrust the dagger toward the Empress’s throat. However,
“I said you shouldn’t have, didn’t I?”
With a chilling voice, the tip of a blade intercepted the assassin. Sensing that things had taken a significant turn with the calm and serene voice, the assassin’s instincts began ringing alarmingly loud. As the instinctive alarm started blaring, the assassin quickly turned his body. However, he couldn’t escape. The intangible magic tightly bound his entire body, rendering him unable to budge. A chilling voice sounded from behind him.
“Already someone is trying to kill me.”
In the now illuminated tent, the Empress approached silently, staring at him with a witch-like face. Her sparkling golden eyes emitted a frightening light even in the dim darkness.
At that moment, the assassin realized he had taken on a mission he shouldn’t have, enticed by the promise of a large sum of money. Before magic paralyzed even his face, he bit down hard on the poison pouch he had been holding in his mouth. When Adele, who had belatedly realized this fact, opened his mouth with her hands, the poison had already spread throughout his body.
“Oh no.”
Adele sighed, taking a step back from the convulsing assassin. Shortly after, the assassin’s body slackened. Adele took a deep breath and brushed her hair back. Undoubtedly, there was an accomplice among the accompanying sorcerers. Moreover, it was a top-tier sorcerer who could intricately control magic to the extent of binding an unseen opponent’s limbs. Even within the royal sorcerer’s guild, such a skilled individual could be counted on one hand. Despite that, daringly committing such an act…
“They must have been confident they could kill me.”
Since the dead couldn’t speak, Adele considered discreetly attributing the assassin’s actions to his solo endeavor. Gazing at the lifeless body with a stern expression, Adel, who had been lost in thought, eventually left the tent secretly. With another assassin possibly lurking in the darkness, she moved cautiously, suppressing any sound and surveying her surroundings. Her destination was none other than Lionel’s tent. Knights stood guard here and there, but in such an unreliable situation, trusting any of them was difficult. She meticulously observed her surroundings and quietly entered Lionel’s tent. A faint lamp flickered briefly, casting a dim light inside the tent. It was regrettable to wake him from his sleep, but Lionel was the only person she could seek help from at this moment. Lionel had neatly covered himself with a blanket, lying straight and sound asleep.
He even sleeps properly.
Adele, gazing at his meticulously sculpted face, reached out to shake him awake. However, the moment her hand touched his shoulder, an unexpected event occurred.
“?!”
In an instant, Adele’s world was turned upside down.
