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Chapter 1
That day, everyone gathered at the party was whispering among themselves while staring in the same direction.
“Look over there. Count Sorber is hitting on another lady who clearly wants nothing to do with him.”
“I honestly don’t know what’s wrong with him. I’ve heard he’s terribly violent with every woman he dates.”
“That’s why he only pursues daughters of insignificant families. Fewer consequences that way.”
“Has that man no shame? Just because His Majesty favors him these days, he’s become completely arrogant!”
But all they did was criticize him behind his back. Not a single person dared to confront him openly.
And for good reason.
“My lady, I said let’s have a dance. Do you dislike me?”
“M-my apologies, but I’m not feeling well today…”
“Oh, come now. Why are you acting so difficult? You look perfectly fine. What exactly is wrong with you?”
Count Sorber was currently one of the nobles most favored by the Emperor.
The reason was rather absurd.
He had found a woman in his territory who looked exactly like the Emperor’s deceased first love and presented her to him.
The Emperor, who had never forgotten his first love throughout his life, was overjoyed. He showered Count Sorber—who had once been a mere provincial noble with no influence in the capital—with wealth and prestigious positions.
Who in the Empire would dare oppose me now?
Backed by the Emperor’s favor, the Count had become unbearably arrogant and continued living a life of debauchery.
“I heard your family’s finances have been struggling lately. Who knows? If we become… closer, perhaps those difficulties might disappear.”
He finally went so far as to grab the unwilling young lady’s wrist by force.
“L-let go of me!”
The horrified lady tried to pull away, but the Count tightened his grip and refused to release her.
“C-can someone help…?”
Yet no one stepped forward.
Someone had tried interfering before, only to be stripped of their position and exiled back to their territory.
Officially, there had been a reasonable excuse.
Unofficially, everyone knew Count Sorber had been behind it.
Even the high-ranking nobles kept their distance, unwilling to get involved in troublesome affairs.
Just then—
“Oh my, look over there! Isn’t that Lady Rianette?”
A single remark.
Instantly, every head in the room turned toward the source of the voice.
The reaction was so eerily synchronized that even Count Sorber stopped what he was doing and looked over.
“Lady Rianette! You came to the party!”
“Ahh! My lady! I’m so happy to see you here!”
“Do you remember me? I was the winning bidder at the last auction!”
The woman called Lady Rianette was immediately surrounded by a crowd of enthusiastic admirers the moment she appeared.
To Count Sorber, she wasn’t visible at all beneath the sea of people.
Hah. Why is that lowborn mongrel getting more attention than me?
He knew exactly who the woman was.
Elizabeth Rianette.
A woman who bore the great Rianette name despite not being a true blood descendant.
Worse still, she was an illegitimate child—something looked down upon throughout the Empire.
And yet countless people admired and worshipped her.
These people are insane. They’ve all lost their minds.
Moreover, the outrageous things that woman had done—acts that had shaken the entire Empire—were almost too scandalous to speak of.
Even worse, she was still actively causing trouble.
It’s hard to believe she was once called a saint.
Clicking his tongue openly, Count Sorber turned back toward the lady whose wrist he still held.
The sight of her trembling in fear was rather entertaining.
“Well then, shall we go, my lady?”
“I-I said let go!”
“Why you little—how dare you raise your voice at me!”
Furious, Count Sorber instinctively raised his hand.
Smack!
“AAAAAH!”
A sharp crack echoed through the grand ballroom.
Everyone stared toward the source of the sound in shock.
“W-what in the world…?”
Clutching his burning cheek, Count Sorber finally regained his senses—and nearly fainted from disbelief.
Standing before him was Elizabeth, expressionless, her hand still raised.
He couldn’t believe he had just been slapped by a mere illegitimate woman.
“Y-you…! How dare you—!”
Smack!
Her hand struck again.
This time, the sound was even louder.
Having been slapped twice in succession, Count Sorber completely lost his temper and lunged at her.
“How dare you!”
“You’re going to hit me?”
The cold voice stopped him dead in his tracks.
“Go ahead. Try it. I’d be curious to see what happens if your filthy hand touches even a single hair on my head.”
Just those words alone made his knees weaken.
For some reason, under Elizabeth’s cold, dignified gaze, Count Sorber found himself unable to move recklessly.
If he did, something terrible would happen.
It was pure survival instinct.
The realization disgusted him.
Overcome by sudden rage, he shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Y-you! Do you have any idea who I am?!”
“Oh, I know.”
Elizabeth smiled.
“I’ve heard about you. Apparently His Majesty has taken a liking to a pathetic old lecher lately.”
“W-what? Who are you calling pathetic?!”
“What else would you call a man who only bullies women he thinks are weaker than him? A person can only be so shameless.”
Count Sorber’s mind went blank.
He had heard rumors that she was wicked.
He had heard rumors that she was dangerous.
But this was his first time experiencing it firsthand.
And she was even worse than the rumors suggested.
She’s a true villainess!
“No matter who you are, do you think you’ll get away with treating me like this?!”
“Of course I will.”
Elizabeth scoffed.
“As you said, I’m Elizabeth of the great House Rianette. In fact, I think people would be grateful if I got rid of you.”
“Hah! Do you have any idea how much His Majesty favors me? How dare you say such nonsense—!”
At that moment—
“His Imperial Majesty, the Sun of the Empire!”
The entire ballroom spoke in unison.
Count Sorber’s face lit up as though a savior had appeared.
“Your Majesty!”
Surely the Emperor knew the true nature of this deceitful woman.
Once he learned the truth, he would punish her severely.
“Your Majesty, Lady Rianette struck my innocent face—!”
“Count Sorber.”
The Emperor’s expression was strange.
“I am greatly disappointed in you. I hear many young ladies have suffered because of your recent conduct.”
“Y-Your Majesty? What are you talking about…?”
“I need hear no more. Relinquish your office and return to your territory.”
“Your Majesty? W-what do you mean?!”
“What are you waiting for? Remove the Count at once!”
In an instant, soldiers seized both of Sorber’s arms.
Caught completely off guard, the Count blinked like a stunned fish.
“Y-Your Majesty! I’ve been wronged! I’m innocent!”
“Those who commit crimes always say the same thing.”
“You wretched woman! How dare you drive a wedge between me and His Majesty?! Your Majesty, I’m innocent!”
Count Sorber desperately proclaimed his innocence, but the Emperor merely avoided his gaze.
Seeing that, the Count’s cries grew even more desperate.
“Your Majestyyyyy—! Gah!”
One of the soldiers struck the back of his neck.
He immediately lost consciousness.
His limp body was dragged out of the ballroom.
The onlookers could only stare in stunned silence.
Did His Majesty really just throw out Count Sorber?
Why? Could it be…?!
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
All eyes turned to Elizabeth.
The Emperor cleared his throat.
“No, no. I had no idea such a man was by my side. Thank you for informing me, Lady Rianette.”
Yeah, right.
Did anyone really believe the Emperor didn’t know what kind of person Count Sorber was?
The Count had been someone the Emperor got along with rather well.
He had even found a woman who resembled the Emperor’s deceased first love.
The Emperor had originally intended to overlook a few minor flaws and favor him for life.
“Truly, thank you. You saved me from keeping such a shameless man at my side. Hahaha…”
“I am glad I could be of help, Your Majesty.”
The guests looked between Elizabeth and the Emperor.
Then realization dawned on them.
Lady Rianette did this.
Lady Rianette pulled the strings.
Under normal circumstances, such a conclusion would have been difficult to believe.
But the person involved was Elizabeth Rianette.
That alone made everyone accept it.
Her influence within Icarzan had become that overwhelming.
People began whispering in awe.
“Something like this would have been unimaginable in the past. I never expected Lady Rianette to become someone like this.”
“Did you see her slap the Count? It was so satisfying!”
“And now we won’t have to see that disgusting face in high society anymore. What a relief.”
“I really love the way Lady Rianette is now. Not that I disliked her old self, but…”
“Honestly, I think everyone agrees she’s better this way.”
Of course they do.
Even Elizabeth herself agreed completely.
I like myself far more this way, too.
As she listened to the crowd gradually transition from gossiping to praising her, Elizabeth naturally thought back to a year ago.
To the day she buried her kind and gentle self.
And was reborn.
Next Chapter.
