🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 13…
She should have expected that her father had prepared that far ahead.
Because she couldn’t get through the night without the scent of Elnash, she had panicked—and that had been her mistake.
I need to explain to His Majesty…
The aphrodisiac incense itself wasn’t illegal. Among nobles, it was often used between lovers to heighten pleasure.
But that only applied when both parties agreed. From the emperor’s point of view, he had suddenly inhaled a poisonous scent without warning. It was enough to destroy any trust he might have had in her—though perhaps there had never been any to begin with.
Even if it wasn’t truly her doing, would the emperor believe her?
Lucrezia was biting her lip when—
“Your Majesty, you’re awake!”
It was the head maid, Jaina.
With a tearful face full of relief, she called out,
“Physician! Her Majesty has regained consciousness!”
The court physician hurried over and began examining Lucrezia carefully.
A cold feeling ran down her spine, and she spoke.
“…A mirror. Bring me a mirror.”
“A mirror? Yes, Your Majesty.”
Though puzzled, Jaina brought it to her.
Lucrezia took it with trembling hands and looked inside. Soon, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Her reflection still had dark brown eyes.
The contact lens covering her true eye color hadn’t been discovered. The violet eyes hidden beneath were still concealed.
“You were almost in serious danger, Your Majesty,” the physician whispered.
“Your body was heavily exposed to the properties of Elnash leaves.”
Lucrezia silently nodded.
The physician lowered his voice even further.
“Paris leaves react strongly with the properties of Elnash leaves. Both are rare herbs, so little is known about them—but they are completely incompatible. They must never be inhaled together.”
“Ah…”
Paris leaves must have been the main ingredient in the incense she had inhaled the night before.
“You were fortunate. While you were unconscious, we administered medicine, and your condition has greatly improved. However, you must be especially careful with your movements for the time being.”
No strenuous activity. Only finely prepared foods. The physician continued listing precautions when—
“Your Majesty!”
A sorrowful cry came from outside the door. Lucrezia felt goosebumps rise on her skin.
“Your Majesty, it is Lady Eleanora Zephir. Shall we let her in?”
“…Yes.”
Soon, Eleanora Zephir—Lucrezia’s half-sister—entered the bedroom in tears.
“Oh, Your Majesty! You’re awake! Thank goodness, truly! Great Mother of Earth, thank you!”
She rushed forward, sobbing.
“When I heard you suddenly collapsed, I was so worried. I prayed without rest to the Mother Goddess.”
The physician and maids exchanged strange looks. It was widely known that Eleanora and Lucrezia had grown up together and were as close as real sisters.
After finishing his examination, the physician bowed.
“Please keep both your body and mind at ease. If you feel any discomfort, summon me at once.”
He left, emphasizing that absolute rest was all the empress needed now.
“I would like to spend some time alone with Her Majesty.”
Eleanora glanced at the maids. The palace attendants bowed and withdrew.
The moment they were alone, Eleanora’s voice changed completely.
“How could you mess this up so badly?”
“Fainting? Honestly. You should have kept yourself together. Were we asking for something so difficult? Father, Pierre, and I will handle everything else. All you had to do was accept what you were given. The only thing we asked was that you somehow carry His Majesty’s child in that womb!”
She pointed at Lucrezia’s lower abdomen, barely containing her anger.
The Paris leaves were extremely rare. Even with money, they were hard to obtain. Their father had invested generously for this plan.
And what did they get in return? Not news of a royal pregnancy—but Lucrezia being carried out unconscious.
I should have been the one in that seat.
Originally, she was supposed to become empress.
Since childhood, she had trained in social skills. She excelled in etiquette, painting, singing, speech, politics, and wisdom. Becoming empress was supposed to be her future. She had grown used to the name Eleanora Winchester as the future empress.
If only she had not been declared infertile.
Eleanora clenched her teeth. The diagnosis had struck her like lightning. She was still receiving treatment, but there was no guarantee of success.
“If you were going to use incense, you should have told me in advance,” Lucrezia said quietly.
Eleanora’s eyes widened. Had she just talked back?
“What did you say?”
“If I had known beforehand, I could have prepared.”
“If you’d known, do you think you could have handled it? You would have trembled and ruined everything!”
Eleanora was furious. Why did her substitute have to be such a fool?
“Still, you must have trusted me at least a little to place me in the position of empress,” Lucrezia said calmly, eyes lowered.
“So next time, please tell me beforehand. I’ll also ask Father to do the same.”
“Ha!”
In the past, she would have slapped her. But leaving a mark now would be troublesome.
Lucrezia wasn’t entirely wrong—but that wasn’t the issue. The problem was that she dared to argue.
You grew up on our money.
Without us, you would have died in the mud on that rainy day.
“Even if we had told you, you wouldn’t have handled it well. His Majesty didn’t care whether you fainted or not. You’re the empress! If you had at least pleased him a little before collapsing, would he have treated you so coldly?”
That was a lie.
She had heard that while the physician examined Lucrezia, the emperor stared at her the entire time—as if trying to confirm something.
But it was true that he hadn’t returned afterward.
What had she done alone with him to make him that cold? She must have acted stiff like a wooden board.
“…I see.”
Lucrezia bit her lip slightly.
Seeing that, Eleanora felt a faint sense of satisfaction.
“Next week is the family council.”
“….”
“You’ve finished taking over the palace affairs, so you’ll at least have some results to show. Make sure you’re prepared so you won’t stand there speechless in front of Father.”
Lucrezia lowered her gaze in silence.
Eleanora smiled cruelly.
“And here’s some advice for you. Don’t misunderstand, Lucrezia. Just because Father made you empress doesn’t mean he considers you special.”
“….”
“You are still nothing more than a tool to us. A tool who happens to live in the imperial palace.”
The Marquis Zephir did not allow excessive “discipline” toward Lucrezia, fearing that too much despair might completely break her.
But Eleanora had always wanted to say this.
“So live in a way that suits your place. Serve us well. The moment you become useless, Father will throw you away like trash.”
Lucrezia said nothing.
Her empty, lifeless eyes finally made Eleanora smile in satisfaction.
No matter how much she was humiliated, she always followed their family like a loyal puppy the next day. Eleanora wanted to crush that look.
She wanted to tell her that her affection had no value.
“I’ll be going now. Remember every word I said.”
Eleanora left coldly.
Left alone, Lucrezia stared blankly into the air and murmured,
“…I know.”
Her hollow voice echoed.
Even Clara knew she was nothing more than a tool to her father.
No matter how much she tried to prove her usefulness—even if she leaked imperial secrets and ended up imprisoned in the underground dungeon—her father would never truly look at her.
He would not even say “well done.”
And someday, when she could no longer serve even the smallest purpose—
“The moment you become useless, Father will throw you away like trash.”
Eleanora’s words echoed painfully in her ears.
It felt like digging an endless tunnel.
No matter how much she dug, it only led deeper underground.
“…I want to rest.”
She whispered blankly.
But the marquis would never allow her a single moment of rest. Until the day she died, he would tighten his grip with threats.
She couldn’t escape. The weakness he held over her—the fairy blood she was born with—bound her from the start.
Then suddenly, another voice echoed in her mind.
“The temple feared the power of the fairy race and falsely accused and persecuted them.”
The emperor’s cold, mocking voice.
It lingered in her ears like cruel hope.
If it were true that the emperor did not despise the fairy race—
If she revealed her true origin, perhaps he might forgive her for deceiving him.
Of course, only if there were something for him to gain by forgiving her.
What benefit could I offer His Majesty…?
For example—
Acting as a counter-spy against her own father’s house.
