Chapter 11

Evelyn’s voice remained as calm as ever.

“You should stop.”

“You think the Emperor will care if I kill you?”

“At the very least, she’ll understand the pain of losing family.”

“Family?”

This time, Evelyn let out a dry laugh.

The trace of sorrow that had lingered on her face vanished completely.

The emptiness in her eyes made Lilia flinch.

“If that’s your reason, then I recommend stopping even more.”

A faint smile touched Evelyn’s lips.

“The Emperor would personally drag you away and torture you for taking away her only source of amusement. You’d probably end up wishing for death instead.”

“…”

“Oh, are you planning to use that opportunity somehow?”

Evelyn shook her head.

“You should give up on that too. Someone like you could never kill the Emperor.”

At least not by force.

Every word scraped against Lilia’s nerves.

She knew it already.

Of course she did.

How could someone like her possibly kill the Emperor?

And yet…

At that moment, Evelyn spoke again.

“The current me is no different.”

“…What exactly are you after?”

“My intentions?”

Lilia unconsciously swallowed.

Evelyn was clearly smaller and physically weaker than her.

So why did it feel as though she were standing before some massive disaster waiting to strike?

If she felt this way in front of a powerless princess, how was she supposed to keep her sanity in front of the Emperor herself?

Taking a deep breath, Lilia slammed her hand onto the table.

“Go back, Your Highness. I have no intention of getting involved with royalty. My revenge is mine to carry out.”

She threw the broken pen onto the floor and stood up.

Just as she turned away, Evelyn’s voice stopped her.

“If royalty is unacceptable, then what about a rebel?”

“What?”

“I’m planning a coup.”

Lilia spun around.

The eyes staring back at her held neither rage nor grief.

Only a heavy, unfathomable stillness.

“I am.”

The room fell silent.

Evelyn continued.

“To do that, I need your talent, Lilia Grenzach.”

She met Lilia’s eyes directly.

“Join me. And I will place Mary Strovana before you.”

The princess’s tone remained calm.

Yet for some reason, Lilia felt chills crawl down her spine.

The woman standing before her was the tyrant’s own sister.

A powerless princess abandoned by everyone.

And yet…

Why did she feel so certain?

As though this woman was standing at the turning point of fate itself.

Lilia swallowed once more and slowly relaxed her grip.

“Do you really have a plan?”

“I’m going to make you my lady-in-waiting.”

“A lady-in-waiting? Not a maid?”

“That’s right.”

Evelyn began laying out the plans she had kept hidden until now.

When she finally finished speaking, silence settled over the table.

Lilia’s eyes trembled violently.

“What will you do?”

By contrast, Evelyn’s emerald eyes remained perfectly still.

Like an ancient tree that had stood unmoving through countless years.

“If you still wish to do everything alone, I won’t stop you.”

Her voice softened.

“But if you choose to follow me, then I promise you this.”

A quiet determination entered her gaze.

“I will avenge your parents.”

Lilia studied her carefully.

Can this really work?

Could a princess with no power, no supporters, and no army truly bring down an absolute Emperor?

Could she really seize the throne?

Everything was uncertain.

Everything was dangerous.

And yet…

Why are her eyes so full of conviction?

Those steadfast green eyes—

Brighter than summer leaves—

Kept telling her the same thing.

It can be done.

After a long moment of thought, Lilia finally raised her head.

Evelyn’s gaze remained fixed on her.

At last, Lilia spoke.

“Very well.”

A guide had appeared on a road where she had previously seen no path at all.

There was no reason to hesitate.

“I will become Your Highness’s hands and feet.”

Two Weeks Later

Mori burst into Evelyn’s room.

“Your Highness! A message just arrived from the main gate saying your new lady-in-waiting has arrived—”

“Really? Perfect timing.”

“Y-You truly brought in a new lady-in-waiting?”

Mori looked horrified.

“Did you receive the Head Attendant’s permission?”

Evelyn’s eyes narrowed.

Her pale green gaze darkened.

“Why would I need the Head Attendant’s permission to appoint a lady-in-waiting?”

A cold silence followed.

“Is he above me?”

“N-No, that’s not what I meant…”

Realizing her mistake, Mori hurriedly lowered her head.

“My apologies. I misspoke.”

“There won’t be a second time.”

Evelyn pointed toward the door.

“Go bring her in.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As soon as Mori left, Evelyn’s expression relaxed.

Bringing Lilia into the palace had gone surprisingly smoothly.

“I own territory that was granted to me by His Majesty while he was still alive.”

“I visited it when I was young.”

“From now on, you’re Lilia Grenzach from that territory—not the illegitimate daughter of the Chester family.”

Lilia had frowned.

“But can a commoner really become a lady-in-waiting? Won’t the Emperor become suspicious?”

“The Head Attendant will object.”

“But it doesn’t matter.”

“The Emperor won’t care.”

The gap between them was too vast.

Mary possessed the Empire.

Evelyn had lost everything.

That endless difference only fed Mary’s arrogance.

So much so that she didn’t even perceive Evelyn as a threat.

It had been the same in every lifetime.

To Mary, her powerless half-sister was nothing more than a target she could pierce whenever she wished.

“The squirming of a worm you can crush at any time is merely entertainment.”

Mary kept Evelyn alive only to savor her suffering.

And when she wanted to increase that suffering, she would occasionally offer hope.

Just as she had appointed Evelyn as Treasury Minister in a previous life.

Pretending to trust her.

Giving her room to breathe.

Then tightening the noose once more.

It was Mary’s favorite form of torture.

But that ends now.

Because this time Evelyn would never place her hopes in Mary at all.

At that moment, a knock sounded.

A familiar voice followed.

“Your Highness.”

A man she had seen every day while running the Treasury.

A man who had stood beside Mary during Evelyn’s execution and narrated the event like a festival.

“The Head Attendant has come to see you.”

Viscount Wilcock Hopnagen.

The Head Attendant.

“Come in.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Though she had never summoned him, one of the palace’s most powerful figures entered without hesitation.

The door opened.

Wilcock stepped inside.

“I heard that Your Highness has brought in a new lady-in-waiting from outside the palace.”

“That’s right. We were acquainted already, so I invited her.”

Evelyn smiled faintly.

“I’ve been feeling rather lonely lately.”

She tilted her head.

“Is there a problem? For the Head Attendant himself to come all this way.”

“Of course not.”

Maintaining his usual expressionless face, Wilcock continued.

“However, someone who is not the daughter of a noble family cannot become a lady-in-waiting. It violates Imperial law.”

“Hmm.”

“It would be better to employ her as a maid instead.”

“A maid has too many duties.”

Evelyn shook her head.

“She wouldn’t be able to remain at my side.”

“She is someone I personally wish to keep close.”

“As I said, according to Imperial law—”

“Then why don’t we ask Her Majesty?”

For the first time, Wilcock’s composure cracked.

His eyebrows rose noticeably.

Apparently, he had never expected Evelyn to bring up Mary herself.

“The Emperor?”

“Yes.”

Evelyn smiled.

“If Her Majesty permits it, then there shouldn’t be a problem.”

“That is true, but…”

“Then go ask her immediately.”

“…Are you serious?”

Wilcock’s voice deepened.

“Of course.”

Evelyn looked at him innocently.

“The sooner you ask, the better.”

The Head Attendant remained standing in place.

Evelyn tilted her head.

“Why are you still standing there?”

“You told me to consult Her Majesty.”

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

“Surely you’re not expecting me to do it personally?”

“No.”

“Then until a decision is made, she will remain in my room as a guest.”

“…Understood.”

Wilcock slowly bowed his head.

The knuckles of his clenched fists had turned white.

Without another word, he left.

A knock sounded again.

“Your Highness, it’s Morian!”

“Come in.”

Mori entered with her usual cheerful smile.

“I’ve brought the new lady-in-waiting!”

Lilia stepped in behind her.

Earlier, in the Corridor

“Head Attendant?”

The moment Mori saw the man leaving Evelyn’s room, she jumped in surprise.

Standing beside her, Lilia quickly lowered her head.

So that’s Wilcock Hopnagen.

One of the key figures Evelyn had specifically warned her to be cautious around.