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Chapter 16…
Inside, it was dark.
In the pitch-black darkness, the only things visible were dozens of candles lined up in a row, as if showing the way forward.
Lucrezia slowly walked along the path of candlelight. Before long, she found another door.
From beyond the door, faint and beautiful music drifted out. As if this darkness were hell, and what lay beyond was heaven.
Knights stood guard in front of the second door. They were familiar faces—the knights of the Marquis Zefer family.
“Who goes there?”
Without a word, Lucrezia removed her mask.
After confirming her face, the knights stepped aside.
Before opening the door, Lucrezia noticed a man sitting beside it.
Instead of wearing a mask, his eyes were covered with a blindfold. He sat stiffly, his expression tense.
‘…Who is that?’
As the thought crossed her mind, the knights opened the second door.
Bright light poured in from beyond.
It was a vast space, fully illuminated by chandeliers. The sight was overwhelming.
A fountain overflowing with wine. People adorned in jewels. Musicians playing brilliant music with their eyes covered.
It was so luxurious it felt like opening the gates of heaven. A space where extravagance bloomed in full splendor.
In the center of it all sat familiar figures.
“Come here, my daughter.”
The Marquis Zefer called to Lucrezia as he removed his orange leopard mask.
To his left sat a young woman; to his right, a man around the same age. They were her half-siblings, Eleonora and Pierre Zefer.
And seated across from them—
The man wearing a golden pillar-shaped mask had an enormous build. Even the well-built marquis seemed smaller in comparison.
“Come closer. We have invited a very important guest.”
“An important guest.” Lucrezia moistened her dry lips nervously.
The Zefer family had already been prestigious, but the marquis had pushed it to the very top through sheer determination. He was proud and arrogant, rarely showing deference to anyone.
For him to call someone “important”—
Only one person came to Lucrezia’s mind.
“…I greet Your Holiness, the High Priest. May this day be filled with the blessings of the earth.”
As she bowed politely, the man in the pillar mask burst into laughter.
“You recognized me at once. Marquis, you have quite an intelligent daughter.”
“Ha ha. Though she is only half, she carries my blood. I educated her well.”
It seemed the marquis had even told the High Priest that she was his illegitimate child.
Lucrezia’s heart pounded with unease. She knew her father had connections with the High Priest, but this was her first time facing him directly.
“I heard about the matter of the consummation. How unfortunate.”
The High Priest spoke in a voice that sounded kind and sympathetic.
Lucrezia lowered her head as if apologetic.
“She is still immature in many ways. This time, her scent and physical compatibility did not align…”
As he said that, the marquis looked at Lucrezia with clear disappointment.
He only addressed her like a beloved daughter because the High Priest was present. Otherwise, he might have struck her the moment she entered.
“I intend to make her conceive a royal heir soon.”
“Yes. That must happen. Continuing the imperial bloodline is most important. The people of this nation will only accept a ruler if that blood remains. Come here, child.”
The High Priest called her gently, like soothing a child. But his words were no different from discussing the breeding of livestock.
Suppressing her faint sense of humiliation, Lucrezia stepped forward.
The High Priest suddenly grabbed her hand with his large, wrinkled one.
“You are so pretty and charming. The Emperor will surely favor you soon. For now, he may be wary of you—but after all, he is still a man.”
“…Yes.”
“All men are like that. If you give them a beautiful woman and tell them she is theirs, they cannot help but become obsessed.”
The High Priest, who had sworn lifelong celibacy, spoke casually about men’s desires.
He tapped the back of her hand lightly.
“It must be exhausting, child.”
“No, Your Holiness.”
“Even so, you will endure it well. You are not only beautiful—you possess other talents as well. Did you know?”
His thick finger pressed against the bones of her hand.
“You were originally meant to become an excellent healer and serve under me directly. If that had happened, I would have cherished you greatly.”
Like a kind grandfather, he patted her hand before finally letting go.
Lucrezia clenched her fist. It felt as though sticky residue lingered on her skin.
“These are difficult times.”
The High Priest sighed deeply.
A servant hurried over and refilled his golden goblet with wine.
He drained it in one gulp and muttered bitterly,
“Monsters are swarming everywhere, and something not even human sits on the throne…”
Lucrezia doubted her ears.
‘Not human?’
She had guessed the relationship between the High Priest and the Emperor was not good.
The Zigfried Empire had long been ruled by strong religious influence. Monsters roamed the continent, devouring people, and the citizens relied on the name of God.
For a long time, the imperial family had been little more than figureheads. The temple had never overthrown them and turned the empire into a theocracy only because it lacked legitimacy.
That political balance changed when the current Emperor, Kirion, ascended the throne.
Pretending to be nothing more than a dull swordsman who only knew how to fight monsters, he began a bloody purge the moment he took the throne. Many temple supporters were swept away in that storm.
It was obvious the High Priest disliked him—but Lucrezia had not expected him to openly call the Emperor “not human.”
Still, she showed no reaction.
Studying her face, the High Priest sighed again.
“I am sorry to send you as the bride of such a monster.”
His voice was heavy with sorrow.
Lucrezia lowered her gaze, unable to reply.
She had not expected his hatred for the Emperor to run so deep.
She began to reconsider this strange, extravagant space.
What were her family and the High Priest plotting here, in such secrecy?
‘I thought Father pushed me into the position of Empress simply to gain benefits as the imperial in-law.’
Perhaps his ambition went further than that.
Perhaps he did not intend to be satisfied with merely being related to the imperial family.
Treason.
The cold word pressed heavily against her chest.
Was this place a gathering to plot rebellion?
If reported, everyone here would lose their heads. Even the Marquis Zefer and the High Priest could not escape the crime of treason.
Yes. If, by some chance, this place were exposed—
“Ugh.”
A sharp pain pierced her temple. Lucrezia swallowed a groan as her vision turned white. The thoughts racing in her head quickly blurred.
‘…No. That’s impossible.’
The thought floated up through the burning headache.
It was a foolish fantasy. Just because she had regained some sense of self did not mean a puppet should forget her place.
“What is it, child? Are you unwell?”
Noticing her change in expression, the High Priest spoke with concern and extended his arm again.
“It is nothing, Your Holiness.”
Lucrezia spoke quickly.
“Please do not worry about me.”
She forced the brightest smile she could manage.
The High Priest nodded as he looked at her radiant expression.
“Do not worry. The Emperor will soon take you into his arms.”
At the prophetic tone of his words, Lucrezia sealed her lips.
After the High Priest departed, only the marquis and his children remained in the large room.
“You useless thing.”
The moment the High Priest’s footsteps faded, the marquis glared at Lucrezia.
“What have you accomplished since entering the palace? Do you think I sent you there just to lock yourself in a fine room and stuff yourself with expensive meals?”
“Please calm down, Father.”
Eleonora Zefer sighed as she pretended to intervene.
“I already warned her once. Though I doubt that empty head of hers understood.”
“Still, I hear she has been mingling well with officials of the Imperial Household lately. Especially with Count Elle, the head of the department—they seem to get along.”
Pierre Zefer said, sipping his wine.
The marquis snorted, trying to contain his anger.
“Fine. The past is done. What matters is what comes next. Listen carefully, Lucrezia.”
He fixed her with a sharp stare.
Her shoulders stiffened. Whenever he looked at her that way, she felt like a butterfly pinned in place, unable to move.
Pierre strode toward her and pressed her shoulders down, forcing her to sit on the sofa.
“There. Listen properly to Father, little sister.”
He whispered behind her.
The marquis stepped closer, his massive figure casting a heavy shadow over her.
