HCV 28

Chapter 28

[Benefactor! Benefactor! What should we do?]

‘Hmm.’

The hesitation was brief.

‘Just say yes. Make it sound completely natural—like this happens every day!’

[Yes, ma’am!]

Of course, I was utterly shocked myself.
But I wasn’t about to let that show in front of those people.

The next moment, my lips curved into a smooth, graceful smile.
A composed, elegant voice flowed out.

“How could I possibly refuse Her Majesty the Empress’s summons? I shall attend her at once.”

“Yes, my lady. Then please allow me to escort you.”

When I extended my hand, the knight naturally offered his arm to guide me.

I climbed into a carriage so lavish it looked as though it had been poured from molten gold.
Through the window, I caught sight of Felix and Lorena standing with their mouths hanging open.

Try not to drool, kids.

I had no idea what was happening, but one thing was certain—this was a perfectly satisfying exit.

It had been great leaving Felix and Lorena behind, but…

‘…Wait. What exactly is happening right now?’

As the carriage rolled smoothly along, I was lost in thought.

The ride was unbelievably comfortable—so this is what a high-end carriage feels like.
No, that wasn’t the point!

‘Let’s be real—there’s no way Her Majesty the Empress would personally summon me, right?’

No matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t come up with a single reason why she would.

‘…Wait. Don’t tell me—’

A human trafficker pretending to be the Empress?!

‘Impersonating someone trustworthy to lure a victim away is a classic kidnapping trick!’

Oh no.
I really should’ve considered that possibility, but thanks to Felix and Lorena, my judgment had gone out the window.

Nothing in my life ever does me any favors!

‘P-PiPi, what do I do? Should I just jump out now?’

[Absolutely not! If you jump out of a carriage moving at 10.7 kilometers per hour, your spine could snap like a twig!]

‘Th-then what should I—oh?’

Peering outside in confusion, I froze.

The carriage was passing through the front gates of the imperial palace.

The imperial palace!
A place I never thought I’d set foot in my entire life!

‘Holy crap. We’re really going inside?’

Moments later, I stood within the palace, utterly dumbfounded as I took in my surroundings.

Tapestries gleamed as though they’d been woven from molten gemstones.
Paintings that probably cost more than my entire life’s worth adorned the walls.
Imperial guards stood lined up like decorative statues, each one flawless.

It was another world entirely—so different from the mundane city I’d lived in all my life.

The knight guided me deep into the palace.

The closer we got, the tighter the knot in my stomach became.

‘PiPi, tell me everything you remember about Her Majesty the Empress.’

[Current Empress: Erzea Lowell Asterion. Age 48. One son—the current Crown Prince. Also the mother of Duke Cayenne Kreutz.]

The Empress… and my boss’s mother?!

Way too intimidating.

My nerves went up another notch.

[However, according to public record, the Duke is rumored to be illegitimate. Therefore, technically, they are not blood-related.]

My boss’s stepmother!

That somehow made her even more intimidating.

[Also, I recall that the Crown Prince—Her Majesty’s biological son—was once in political conflict with Duke Kreutz over succession rights.]

So she’s not just his stepmother—they’re political rivals, too?!

The more I heard, the worse my anxiety got. My stomach even started to hurt.

“Her Majesty will see you now.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am.”

I moved like a stiff, un-oiled puppet as I stepped into the audience chamber.

And there she was—
The most beautiful, refined woman I had ever seen in my life.

Golden hair twisted up in an elegant bun, a swan-like neck, and eyes as deep and brilliant as sapphires that seemed to see right through me.

‘Wow. If Lorena ages like that, she’ll be gorgeous… No, actually, Lorena couldn’t even compete.’

“I greet Your Majesty the Empress.”

I bowed exactly as PiPi had taught me on the way here.

“Mm.”

The Empress set aside the book she’d been reading—at a flawless, exact angle.
Her gaze met mine, sharp and unwavering.

Erzea regarded the young woman before her with cool, assessing eyes.

Just hours earlier, she had read a detailed report on Prisia Violet.

‘A viscount’s daughter—once known for her family’s good deeds, though that reputation has long since faded.’

But background didn’t matter much.

‘Her academy grades were terrible.’

Still, if Cayenne had personally hired her, she must have some ability.

‘But she’d better not be a shallow opportunist!’

Erzea’s eyes hardened.

One section of the report included testimonies from Prisia’s peers.

[Academy Classmate #1, Dotty Milo: Prisia? Ugh, she was boy-crazy! She ignored her studies and her friends for men. How she even got into the Tower is beyond me.

Academy Classmate #2, Charlotte Brennan: She’s just lucky, that’s all. You’d think she’d be humble about it, but no—now she’s apparently chasing the Duke of Kreutz! She just got dumped by Felix and immediately latched onto someone higher up. Talk about disgracing all women.

Academy Classmate #3, Lorena Belmont (note: this year’s Academy beauty): Guys, don’t be so harsh. Prisia’s actually kind and nice. She’s just… a bit too passionate when it comes to the opposite sex. Especially rich, handsome men. But everyone has their preferences, right? What do you call someone like that again? A flo—flo… snake?]

The testimonies were clearly biased, but with so many witnesses saying similar things, Erzea couldn’t dismiss them outright.

So she had decided to see for herself—
whether her son’s aide had attached herself to Duke Kreutz for… unsavory reasons.

But the moment she laid eyes on the real Prisia, Erzea realized something.

The woman who had appeared polished in the recorded vision was far less composed in person.

Her unkempt, lion-like mane of hair alone made Erzea’s chest tighten in disapproval.

‘If she’d just trim those bangs and ditch those hideous glasses, her eyes would probably be quite pretty… No, that’s not the point.’

Erzea’s sharp gaze swept over her.

“So, you are Lady Prisia Violet.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Mm-hm. Our Kai—ah.”

The Empress paused mid-sentence.

Prisia blinked in confusion. Did she almost say our Cayenne just now?

With perfect poise, Erzea continued,

“I hear you’ve recently been hired as Duke Cayenne’s new secretary.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“As you know, the Magic Tower is technically independent, but it remains an essential institution to the Empire. As Empress, I naturally take great interest in its internal affairs.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. That’s completely understandable.”

Erzea snapped open her fan with a soft fwip.
From behind the peacock-feather fan, she fixed Prisia with a steady gaze.

“According to your academy records, you didn’t show much interest in magic. May I ask why you applied to be the Duke’s secretary at the Tower?”

“Ah.”

Prisia hesitated briefly, then answered.

“It’s because I have long held the Tower Lord in the deepest respect.”

Such a canned answer.

Erzea clicked her tongue inwardly.

“Respect, you say. Could you elaborate on that?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Prisia drew in a slow breath.

If she gives me another generic reply, I’ll have to start interrogating her properly, Erzea thought.

Then—

“The Duke’s intellectual and magical prowess are, of course, extraordinary. But what I truly admire is his character. He is resolute and principled, takes immediate physical action when confronted with injustice, provides direct feedback to incompetent subordinates without hesitation, and generously offers material support to those under his command. To me, His Grace is nothing short of a role model.”

“…”

“…?”

Erzea blinked.

Even the handmaiden pouring tea froze in place, staring blankly at Prisia.