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Chapter :
Requiem
“Someone—someone please help! There’s no one here!”
The mass-produced blade supplied by the mercenary company was already broken.
The man clutched his side, blood gushing out in thick spurts.
At this rate, he wouldn’t last long.
“Y-you wretched creatures! Get away from me at once…! Damn it! Someone, anyone, help!”
The things shaped like people poked their heads up from underground.
They clacked their skulls together, thrashing as if trying to burst out from the shadows.
[Let us out.]
[Let us out.]
[Let us out.]
It felt like wailing spirits—unsettling and chilling.
“W-what on earth is this…?!”
They were gravekeepers. Crawling up from beneath the ground, the gravekeepers exposed only their mouths, their joints rattling.
“Do you think it’s right to trample children just because they’re hungry?”
From behind the shadows, someone stepped forward.
“W-what is the meaning of this! Th-this…! Don’t tell me this is black magic? You fools! Black magic is strictly forbidden by the Temple and the Empire! It lets neither the dead rest in peace nor the living live in peace! What in the world are you doing—!”
Two figures stood beside the gravekeepers.
“Sp-spare me! I swear I’ll keep everything I saw today secret!”
The man had his throat torn out by a gravekeeper.
“Grrrgh!”
Soon, the gravekeepers slithered back underground.
“…My lord, isn’t this your first day back in the Empire? Is this truly all right?”
“I only stopped by because I was hungry. Things went awry.”
“Please, be careful. Even if you’re hungry, you shouldn’t take those who aren’t already at death’s door. The time is not right. The Pope isn’t bound by taboo for nothing. Please wait until you fully regain your strength.”
“I’ll be more careful next time. It’s been a long while since I last set foot in the Empire.”
“The Empress Consort has died.”
“I know. All black magic has been recovered as well.”
The old man tapped his bent back with his cane, then bowed with proper courtesy.
“O last black mage of this age….”
From beneath the shadows, a middle-aged man stepped forward.
Though his true age was well past sixty, his slowed aging allowed him to retain the appearance of his youth.
Bright blond hair glinted faintly from beneath his robe. The old man stepped aside and bowed his head.
“Your son is waiting. Shall we return to the estate?”
“Yes. Let us go back. Make sure there’s no trail left behind.”
“Yes. This old man will take care of it. You’re tired of boating, aren’t you?”
The old man threw the body into the sea and left the docks.
Heavy.
As if something were grabbing his ankles from underground, his body sank.
Abandoned again. What did I do wrong?
You cut off both my ankles and abandoned me—twice?
There was nowhere to go.
I thought that if even my family abandoned me, everything would be over.
After that, as all consciousness sank away—
‘Are you lonely, Charles?’
It felt like I heard such a voice. Telling me it was time to wake up. As if someone were urging me.
Or maybe not… If it were just a hallucination, why was it becoming clearer?
“Please wake up, Your Majesty.”
Someone whispered.
“Does your body feel heavy?”
“No.”
“You’re having trouble opening your eyes.”
“It feels like I had a long dream, but I can’t remember it.”
It seemed she had fallen asleep during her preparations.
“I’ll put on your hair ornament now.”
As the maids brought the ornament to place it on her head, Sharlophe raised her arm.
She slowly examined her reflection in the mirror.
Her frame was slender, her neckline thin. Still, the once deathly pallor was gone.
“Your Majesty?”
The head maid called to Sharlophe.
“That’s enough. Finish the preparations quickly.”
She put on a black dress. The head maid neatly tied a ribbon at her back.
The ribbon was low in saturation—simple and restrained rather than ornate.
Her hair was also tied up with a black ribbon.
Against her pale, white complexion, the contrast was striking enough that the maids swallowed their gasps as they finished.
“It’s time to proceed to the Hall of Eternal Rest.”
Someone shook her gently, waking her from her drowsing. Sharlophe blinked.
“It’s time.”
From attendants to maids, everyone was dressed in black.
The urn was buried in the Hall of Eternal Rest the following day.
The remains of the late Empress Dowager were laid to rest in an empty grave. Her posthumous title was elevated to Empress Dowager.
After that—
Perhaps because the weather was unusually cold, the snow showed no sign of stopping.
“It’s fortunate we were able to lay the remains before the ground froze.”
Had it grown any colder, the earth would have frozen solid, making it difficult.
“Outside the Imperial Palace, requiem songs mourning the dead echoed everywhere.”
“It’s the first time the people of the Empire have cried out so loudly.”
“With no one left to censure them for crying, they can finally raise their voices freely.”
Sharlophe’s gaze was drawn to the scene beyond the Imperial Palace.
The world lay blanketed in white snow. Servants swept the paths with brooms.
“The New Year’s Festival will be held soon.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. This year feels especially long.”
Sharlophe tied up her hair and stepped outside. The maids followed.
‘What I must do now….’
Sharlophe smiled faintly.
“First, I should deal with what needs to be done immediately. If the Requiem Festival comforts the dead, then the New Year’s Festival shows new shoots to the living.”
Rather than remaining in the past, it was time to take a step forward. Though she had no duties during the Requiem Festival since it was before the state marriage, from this New Year’s Festival onward, everything would fall to the Empress.
“We’ll need to refurbish the Central Banquet Hall.”
“Shall we head there?”
Sharlophe looked around the Imperial Palace. The windows had been cleaned spotless, not a cobweb in sight. Red carpets lined the marble corridors, and lamps were mounted on the walls.
“Let’s go to the banquet hall.”
She turned smoothly.
The hall had been closed for some time, neglected amid various affairs.
When the doors to the central hall opened, pale dust billowed up. The maids waved their hands to clear it away.
“Would you like to look elsewhere until the dust settles?”
“No. I’ll just take a brief look. Go about your tasks.”
Sharlophe surveyed the New Year’s Palace banquet hall. It was meant for major events like the New Year’s Festival or the founding anniversary.
By palace law, it opened only on those occasions, making the hall itself symbolic.
It was larger than other halls, built of glass. However, poor maintenance had left many areas faded.
It was understandable—there had been no need to use it for the past five years. Sharlophe brushed the stair supports.
“Normally, it should be maintained regularly, but the palace has been in turmoil these past few years.”
“We can repair what needs fixing now.”
“Tell them to summon workers and carefully inspect everything that needs restoration.”
Once elegant, the old beauty now lay buried under dust.
“It will take some time to restore it to its former state.”
It was late at night.
“His Majesty the Emperor said he may spend the night in the office today and told me to have you rest first.”
The head maid whispered behind Sharlophe. As her long hair was being brushed, Sharlophe paused.
“Why?”
Even when he slept late, he usually slept in the bedroom.
“After receiving Her Majesty the Empress Dowager’s remains, there were matters that had been postponed. If you’re tired, shall I prepare your bed?”
Sharlophe shook her head, saying it was fine, and dismissed the head maid. Candlelight flickered softly by the bed.
“He said he wouldn’t leave me alone… Is today an exception?”
She tapped her arm lightly. Having dozed earlier, she couldn’t fall asleep now.
Had she already grown accustomed to having someone sleep beside her?
Warmth crept in without warning.
Sharlophe wrapped herself in a shawl and left the bedroom. The corridor was empty.
“Your Majesty, where are you going?”
Katarina emerged from the shadows.
So the intelligence bureau truly was called “the Shadow”—they hid beneath shadows, erasing even their presence.
“Where is His Majesty the Emperor?”
“He’s in his office.”
Sharlophe paused mid-step.
“If I visit him dressed like this, would it violate palace etiquette?”
“Since Your Majesty herself embodies imperial law, why ask such a thing?”
Katarina answered crisply, like reciting from an answer key.
“If you’re heading to His Majesty, I’ll escort you to the office.”
Sharlophe waved her hand.
“I’m already walking there.”
“The path is dark.”
“Don’t treat me like a child left by the water. It’s excessive.”
“My apologies.”
Sharlophe tightened her shawl and walked on. Shadows pooled in the corridors she passed.
Do they live hidden in such shadows?
She set aside the vague thought and turned—only to feel breath brush her cheek.
“Didn’t I tell you to sleep first?”
A voice came from behind.
“I heard you were in your office. Why are you out here?”
Benjamin stood beside her, looking down.
His clothes were looser than earlier. His tie was undone, several buttons open.
As he exhaled, a faint scent of cigar smoke drifted over—she’d smelled it once before in the office.
“Did you smoke?”
“I planned to be alone tonight, but you came.”
“I thought I’d see you like this.”
Just as you saw yourself in me, I saw myself in you. Because we’re alike, we know each other well.
“Are you still busy?”
“Probably.”
“Too busy to sleep?”
Benjamin narrowed his eyes.
“I think I’m a bit sensitive tonight.”
Sharlophe closed the distance between them. Benjamin let out a soft groan at the proximity.
“When I put distance between us, it’s better to keep it.”
He glanced at the documents in his hand, then swung his arm back. Roskella stepped forward and took them.
“There’s no presence around here.”
“There are a lot of shady ones.”
Roskella looked at his lord and replied, “You’re the shadiest one here, Your Majesty.”
“The work is nearly finished. Since Her Majesty the Empress came in person, please rest well tonight.”
Roskella gestured toward the aides who’d been stuck there without even getting to leave work.
“When the employer is tired, the subordinates are even more tired.”
Back in the bedroom, Sharlophe set down her shawl.
“It’s fine if you sleep late—just come sleep in the bedroom.”
Benjamin closed the bedroom door, ruffling his wet hair. His black eyes looked dull.
He had clearly smoked a strong cigar, but now only a faint trace remained.
Water droplets fell from his damp hair as he tousled it.
“Come here already.”
Sharlophe tilted her head.
“You called me because you wanted me to put you to sleep, didn’t you, Sharl?”
Benjamin wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He wasn’t exerting force, yet his hold was firm.
