TLDWAE 41

Chapter 41

“I understand both of your opinions clearly. It seems there’s no room for compromise. Then I have no choice but to take the path that leads to conflict.”

She decided that no further discussion was necessary and immediately rose from her seat. Rising without the emperor’s permission was rude, but when she refused to obediently say “Yes” until the end, the emperor slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair in anger.

“Karia Pandeon, do not forget yourself! From the moment you were born, you have brought shame to the imperial family!”

“Myself?”

As she was about to leave without a second thought, her steps paused at the words that had haunted her all her life. She turned her head slowly to look at the emperor and the grand duke.

Having regained her memories from her past life, there was one thing she wanted to say above all. It wasn’t that she hadn’t said it before because she didn’t know—it was because she hadn’t had the chance.

And perhaps they already knew, but today, she would finally speak the words they had ignored all their lives.

“If my existence is such a disgrace to the imperial family, then you should blame the one who caused it, not me.”

Her blood-red eyes, sharp as a blade, swept the room, piercing everyone who shared her blood without hesitation.

“As you all know, it wasn’t my fault that I was born, right?”

“What?! You really…! Karia! Can’t you stand there, Karia?!”

The emperor bellowed at her, but she left without looking back. The anger bubbling inside made the room unbearable.

The prestige of the imperial family, the honor of the throne… If those were what they cherished most, then she would trample them into the ground. She wondered how delighted they would be if the noble name of the imperial family sank into the gutter.

“Older sister!”

A panicked voice called out to her, stopping her as she contemplated ways to metaphorically spill filth throughout the palace with every step.

“Older sister?” Who would even call her that? Karia turned around suspiciously, only to see, to her surprise, Princess Servis panting as she ran toward her.

“Older sister! I… I couldn’t say this in front of His Majesty, but I respect your wishes.”

“-The princess?”

“Even if the duke didn’t know anything because he was busy, how could anyone live again in a household treated that way? I certainly couldn’t.”

With an awkwardly gentle smile, she took Karia’s hand. Her soft, slender hands, unaccustomed to hardship, enveloped Karia’s.

Although clearly friendly, Karia felt that every gesture was somehow artificial.

“Older sister, although we didn’t have a great relationship in the past, that was just our childish days. Let’s leave it behind. I have many brothers, but only one older sister—you’ve always been on my mind. Now that this has happened, let’s get along like true sisters from now on.”

“Sisters? The princess and I?”

Sisters? That wasn’t something Karia had wished for. Why say that all of a sudden?

Karia suspected for a moment that the princess had been sent to coax her under the emperor’s orders. But the emperor, if anything, would ignore her will; he wasn’t the type to send his precious daughter to persuade someone.

Karia quietly studied the princess’s eyes and slowly curved her lips into a smile.

“-Shall we, Servis?”

She couldn’t know the princess’s true intentions, but Karia sensed an undeniable anxiety in her demeanor. Lowering her voice and using her name caused the princess’s expression to stiffen briefly, but she didn’t protest.

It was clearly the princess’s mistake. Since Servis had approached first, the advantage in this interaction was absolutely Karia’s.

‘“Duke”? What? I’ve never seen the pampered child of the imperial family use formal speech for anyone but her family, and now she’s calling Rubiderf Pandeon “Duke”?’

Karia, reflecting on the princess’s words, sensed something odd.

As the second in line to the throne after the crown prince, the princess had immense pride. Being the youngest child, spoiled her entire life, she had a haughty personality, considering everyone beneath her.

She would have naturally found the Pandeon Duke ridiculous, running around trying to prop up a fallen family—but this? This was completely unexpected.

‘Now that I think of it, I heard from the Grand Matron… there were rumors all over the capital that the princess was head over heels for Duke Pandeon. I didn’t believe it, thinking it impossible, but…’

Karia looked at Servis’s trembling lips, barely holding the pleasant smile she was forcing. Her patience seemed like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be snuffed out.

‘Has she heard something? About me… or something concerning me?’

The image of the duke struggling like a needy dog previously overlapped in her mind. Had he asked her what she might have heard, thinking that without family or friends, she must have picked up something?

Karia silently studied Servis’s face for a while, then smiled knowingly and spoke as if unaware.

“Oh, speaking of which, I realized I didn’t mention one thing about Duke Pandeon to His Majesty. If I had, he might have changed his mind.”

“About the duke? What…?”

“It’s embarrassing to say, but he… committed an affair.”

Whispering quietly into her ear as if sharing a secret, Servis froze like stone. Realizing she was being observed, she quickly tried to mask her shock, but Karia didn’t miss a single subtle change.

“An affair? What… Have you even heard about it?”

“I heard it from the servants. A servant who went to attend to him at a party saw him with a woman at dawn. They didn’t see her face, but her hair was very light.”

Karia put on a sorrowful expression and gently stroked Servis’s luscious hair.

She deliberately used “party” because it sounded plausible.

If it was a one-time occurrence, it could have happened coincidentally at a party; if repeated, surely it would have happened at least once at a party. They attended nightly events in the capital.

And if they were alone, it would have been after greetings and pleasantries, late at night.

She calmly laid the bait with an innocent expression. Servis, clenching her fists behind her back, tried to feign nonchalance.

“Can you be sure of that? It could have been a private conversation. She could be a friend or a subordinate. Also, it was a masquerade ball; she might have been wearing a wig!”

“A masquerade ball…? Could be.”

“Yes, definitely! Don’t worry about such trivial things when you already have headaches.”

Servis placed her hand atop Karia’s hand, as if seeking comfort, but slowly drifted away.

‘Which party did I even hear about that made her think it was a masquerade?’

Karia released Servis’s hands gently. She didn’t intend to press her right now. She had no lingering feelings for the duke, and she couldn’t waste such a valuable opportunity so easily.

Even the foolish princess would eventually realize her mistake after reflecting in her room. Then the leash of the young princess, adorned with daily fashions and expensive jewels under the emperor’s favor, would be firmly in Karia’s hands…

“Servis, it seems your taste in clothes has changed. Before, you often wore dresses with cinched waists to accentuate a feminine line, but today… you’re wearing something very comfortable-looking.”

“Ah, I just got tired of following trends.”

“Your shoes are low-heeled and comfortable. But… are you unwell? Your face looks very pale.”

Karia slowly scanned her from head to toe. Judging from her earlier demeanor with the emperor, she wasn’t in a mood of self-recrimination—but this modest attire was surprising.

Since childhood, she had always wanted to be the most beautiful lady in the empire, never leaving her room without being well-groomed.

Hiding her probing eyes, Karia gently stroked her back with a concerned expression.

“Should I take you to the palace physician?”

“Well… I’ve been having severe anemia lately. Maybe it’s because of stress.”

“Then will you have a meal with me? When your health is weak, you need to pay attention to what you eat.”

“A meal…?”

Servis couldn’t help but gag at the mention of food. Her eyes wavered in embarrassment, and Karia’s narrowed eyes curved into a sly smile.

“Oh, you’re not feeling well today. You should go back and rest. I wish you luck, older sister.”

“Yes, rest if you’re sick. Thank you for coming first, Seri.”

A wonderful idea came to Karia’s mind. She grinned wickedly at the departing princess and waved.

As Servis’s small head faded into the distance, Karia could no longer contain her laughter.

“Pfft! Hahaha!”

“-What’s so funny?”

Someone asked as Karia leaned against the wall, holding her stomach while laughing. She didn’t need to look back to know who it was.

So Karia ignored the voice and composed her expression, continuing forward. Yet, Alcad followed her relentlessly.