***
***
It was the day before the Emperor Edgar’s coronation. It was the day that Brianne, who had come from another country, first entered the audience hall to meet Edgar.
She dropped her fan in a showy manner. And then she kissed Edgar for picking up the fan. Just like today.
Liv’s gaze began to waver wildly as she recalled the scene. She looked at Brianne with mixed feelings.
‘What kind of fate is this? She and I….’
Another existence that trampled on her heart, no, it was cut out. Liv squeezed her trembling heart with her hand.
Her head became complicated and she gently closed her eyes, recalling that day when she knelt down to Brianne.
That day, Liv bowed her head with her hands gripping the hem of Brianne’s negligee tightly.
“Can you help me convince His Majesty to revoke the imperial order to dump my baby’s body in the sea, Princess?”
Brianne’s mouth gradually lifted as she looked down at Liv. It was a victor’s smile.
“His Majesty? What power do I have to convince him to withdraw the Imperial order….”
Liv appealed with a more trembling voice.
“If you help me just this once, I will step down from my position as Empress. That’s not what I wanted.”
But Brianne stared at Liv with cold eyes. She said in a calm tone.
“I had a feeling about this. That’s why I warned you. The reason why His Majesty chose you is because of your power.”
It was a memory that would forever haunt her as it was carved into her chest. It was Brianne’s fishy smile.
Liv’s eyes fluttered open as she tried to pull herself out of the vexing memory. She didn’t want to retreat any further, no, she couldn’t.
The moment Liv slowly moved and was about to go down toward Carius, Brianne gave a dazed look towards Carius in front of her.
“Excuse me if I’m rude, Your Majesty ………..”
She seemed to shrink from Carius’ cold stare, so Edgar, who was right beside her, stepped forward to soothe the awkward atmosphere.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess. I’m Edgar Del Quantil and I’m sorry for your trouble in coming.”
Brianne’s eyes took on a different look for a moment as Edgar kissed the back of her hand. She greeted him shyly.
“I’ve heard so much about you, Your Highness. It is an honor to meet you.”
Edgar smiled in response to her greeting and turned his head to Carius. He then gave him a cursory glance. It was a gesture that said, “Be careful, everyone is watching only the Emperor.”
But Carius didn’t withdraw his cold gaze and spoke to Brianne in a cold tone.
“I hope you’ll be careful next time. Especially in front of the Emperor.”
Edgar then shouted strongly to the envoys, as if he was in a hurry to get the awkward atmosphere under control.
“I think it would be better to discuss the issue of negotiations tomorrow after the banquet, but since the Empress has made special arrangements for the presence of the vassals, I hope you will all enjoy this opportunity.”
“Thank you, Empress.”
They bowed and curtsied to Liv in the upper seat. Liv suppressed her feelings and smiled faintly at them.
Her feelings were complicated, but she eventually let out a deep sigh to let out the congestion that was boiling inside her.
***
The grand banquet that Liv had prepared was attended by members of the imperial family and representatives of the Delta Kingdom. Then, like the heroine, Brianne showed her appearance accompanied by the loud sound of her shoes.
She wore a mermaid red robe with a bare bust, a décolleté, and her brown hair pulled up to one side.
The Empress Dowager Patricia stared at the figure with a strange look in her eyes.
“It was rumored that the Princess of the Delta Kingdom was very beautiful, but it’s more than rumored.”
“Thank you for seeing it that way, Empress Dowager.”
“Grand Duke, what are you doing? Come on, don’t make the Princess stand there.”
At Patricia’s condescending look, Edgar rose from his seat, moved the chair next to him, and escorted Brianne to her seat.
Before taking her seat, Brianne turned to Edgar and greeted him. She sat down in her seat and smiled gently at Carius and Liv, who sat on the other side of her.
Liv deliberately tried to look away, but her behavior bothered her.
Immediately, Brianne, who had been watching Liv, spoke to her.
“I don’t think I can be compared to the Empress. The Empress is such a beautiful woman.”
Liv thanked her formally without making eye contact.
“Thank you for flattering me, Princess.”
Brianne’s mouth raised up in a smile as she slowly scanned through the food in front of her. She asked Liv.
“Did the Empress prepare all this food?”
Instead of replying, Liv just gave her a cold smile.
While the maidservant filled her plate, Brianne called out to Edgar, who was sitting next to her.
“On the way, I lost track of time because I was capturing the scenery of the Empire. In particular, I heard that this is the festival period of the Empire.”
“The Emporium Festival has gained fame in other countries as well.”
When Edgar replied with a soft smile, Brianne’s eyes became even more round.
“I see. It’s a shame the Delta Kingdom hasn’t had a festival like this for a long time, but I’d like to go see it once.”
Patricia nodded her head in satisfaction.
“Then ask the Grand Duke. Since the Princess is here, he will show you around with all his heart.”
Liv naturally snickered at such words of the Empress Dowager. Because it was the same way back then when Patricia had made Brianne the Empress.
This time, too, she could see the adulterous heart of the Empress Dowager to somehow make Brianne the Grand Duchess, and Liv shook her head.
“Can I bother His Highness the Grand Duke? I’m sure he has many things to be concerned about in this negotiation… ….”
“It’s the Princess, and not just anyone else, I will gladly assist you.”
“Oh, well, then I can only thank you.”
Brianne picked up the tart that lay before her. She took a bite and quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.
The Empress Dowager watched her, and quickly glanced sideways at Liv across the table.
“It is true that the Princess seems to have a natural sense of etiquette. How painful it is to see a woman who enters the imperial family without knowing how to be polite.”
Liv put her fork down on her plate and stared at the Empress Dowager. Patricia looked away and naturally began to savor her food again.
But suddenly, Brianne sneezed repeatedly even before putting the food in her mouth.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Ugh!”
Edgar looked at her and asked with concern.
“Are you okay, Princess?”
At his worried look, Brianne nodded and whispered quietly.
“The aroma of the spices in the food seems strong………….”
“’The food doesn’t suit your palate? The Empress has gone to great lengths to prepare it to the tastes of the Delta Kingdom.”
The Princess hesitated at Edgar’s question, looking at Liv.
“Oh, my. But this is not the food from the Delta Kingdom….”
Liv naturally chuckled at the sight, which was trying to make her look bad.
Brianne’s habits. Liv blamed herself for completely forgetting that Brianne had a habit for stiffing her opponents.
Brianne smiled covertly at the Empress Dowager.
“In Delta Kingdom, my mother always prepares a homemade meal when we receive guests. I guess that’s what whetted my appetite.”
“You mean the Queen prepares everything?”
“Yes. She said it was out of consideration for the envoys who came from far away.”
“That’s wonderful.”
The Empress Dowager lifted one side of her lips as she glanced sideways at Liv, who was quiet.
At that moment, Carius, who had been watching what was going on, tapped his chin, and the head chef and aides next to him rushed in.
“The Princess doesn’t seem to like the food, so hurry up and prepare something else.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Liv was embarrassed and only gently bit her innocent lower lip. Her solitary gaze danced over the innocent plates.
At the sight of her, the Empress Dowager’s mouth turned upward even more ominously.
It was a moment of strange emotions mixed with the feeling of being somewhat withdrawn again.
Carius, who was silently cutting the meat in front of him, soon lifted the plate and exchanged it for the plate in front of Liv.
Then he smiled affectionately at her.
“Don’t be upset. It’s perfect for my taste.”
Immediately, all eyes turned to them.
Liv began to blush at his action. Carrius calmly put his hands on the table and stared at the Empress Dowager.
“Oh my, am I being too informal, Mother Empress?”
“….”
Patricia stared at him without saying a word, but quickly averted her gaze at Carius’s cold face.
Carius looked at her and let out a chuckle.
“I don’t even know if I’ve become generous after I die and come back to life.” (*he meant he almost died from the assassination)
Patricia was embarrassed by his words and could not say anything, only her eyes began to quiver.
Carius raised his lips in a tone that was colder than his gaze.
“In front of a Princess of another country, you must protect the Empress.”
Patricia’s lips only moved at his words, and Edgar immediately interrupted to change the mood.
“Your Majesty, mother ……”
But Carius ignored him and pushed it more forcefully.
“Why do you keep doing this to the empress? Aren’t you afraid of being caught up in a vicious rumor?”
At that moment, there was only silence in the room. Everyone froze in place with both eyes wide open. Patricia looked at Carius as if she could not believe her ears.
“What does that mean………….”
Carius only raised his lips instead of replying.
Patricia immediately kicked off her seat and stood up. Her body shuddered with anger.
“Does it make you feel better to humiliate me in front of a delegation of another country!”
Patricia bit her lip in seething anger. The look in her eyes was as if she was devouring Liv and Carius in front of her.
She squeezed the hem of her dress in her hands tightly. Then she hurriedly left the scene.