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Chapter 5
She Went Mad Like That (5)
As though the maid’s feelings did not matter in the slightest, Veronica let out a light, cheerful laugh—then suddenly her expression hardened. The abrupt gaze directed at her made the maid flinch.
“I’d like some tea.”
“Y-Yes, my lady. I’ll prepare it immediately.”
The maid hurriedly bowed and left the room. Instead of returning to bed, Veronica sat on the long sofa beside the window. She remained still for a moment before relaxing against it comfortably.
Today felt different from the days that were always filled with anxiety and restlessness. She felt calm. Peaceful. Perhaps, if one changed the way they viewed things, even the dreadful beginning of the past was not so terrible after all.
Yes.
For the first time in a very long while, Veronica felt truly happy.
A twisted smile spread across her lips as she reclined on the sofa. Soon the maid returned carrying a teapot and teacups. Veronica leisurely sipped the tea the maid poured for her.
“Veronica.”
After seeing the two princes off, Harry came to find her.
He looked at his daughter in confusion as she calmly enjoyed tea. Just this morning she had been bedridden with a high fever, yet now she was half reclined across the long sofa, leisurely drinking tea as though nothing had happened.
The moment Veronica noticed her father, she greeted him casually.
“Ah, Father. Have you been well all this time?”
“To anyone listening, it would sound as though we haven’t seen each other in ages.”
“I know. Somehow it feels like it’s been a very long time since I last saw your face.”
Until her previous life, Veronica had never once managed to properly face her father.
Because she had been too desperate to die.
“What nonsense.”
Fortunately, Harry dismissed her strange greeting lightly.
Veronica pushed herself upright. Harry took the empty seat beside her. His eyes carefully examined her face, and his wrinkled hand gently pressed against her forehead.
“How are you feeling?”
“My health?”
“You’ve been terribly ill these past few days.”
Ah, right.
Veronica recalled the memory she had nearly forgotten from sheer exhaustion with it all. Normally, she should still have been recovering from the fever she suffered through until this morning. Now that she thought about it, she could still feel a heavy fatigue lingering in her body.
Though compared to the agony of countless deaths she had already endured, this was nothing more than child’s play.
“I’m fine. The fever’s completely gone.”
“That’s a relief.”
Harry let out a relieved sigh.
“But Veronica…”
“Yes, Father?”
“When exactly… did you begin harboring feelings for Prince Theron?”
“So that’s what you came to ask.”
Veronica smiled brightly. Harry added anxiously,
“Until yesterday, weren’t you in love with Prince Roel?”
Not merely in love—a devastating one-sided love.
Harry had already been shocked that his proud, sharp-eyed daughter had fallen for someone at all. Never in his wildest imagination had he expected it to be the Fourth Prince, a man with little standing in the imperial family and a physical disability.
If he were honest, he had wanted to persuade her to give up immediately. But Veronica’s obsession had become alarmingly serious. She had pursued the prince actively for an entire year and had even collapsed from lovesickness.
Only a few days ago, she had tearfully begged to marry Prince Asar.
After losing his wife early, Harry had only this one precious daughter left. Terrified he might soon be arranging her funeral as well, he had rushed to meet the Emperor himself. He had pleaded desperately for an engagement between Veronica and the Fourth Prince.
And yet now his daughter was demanding a proposal from an entirely different prince.
“Haven’t you desperately wished to marry Prince Roel all this time? You stopped eating and cried endlessly. May I ask why your feelings changed so suddenly?”
“Well… perhaps collapsing from fever finally brought me to my senses. Human hearts are not always constant, are they? Maybe I simply didn’t love him enough to cling endlessly to a love that would never be returned.”
“What absurd nonsense. Just yesterday, you—”
“Father.”
Veronica cut him off.
“Are you displeased that I gave up on Prince Roel?”
“That’s not it, but…”
“Then isn’t that enough? What more needs to be said?”
Still smiling sweetly, Veronica drained the rest of her tea. Harry stared at her strangely.
Perhaps because this was the first proper conversation they had shared in a long while after she regained her senses.
The youthful face before him unquestionably belonged to his daughter, and yet what seemed to dwell within felt like an old soul that had weathered countless storms and reached some strange enlightenment.
“You seem… different somehow.”
“I’m the same as always, Father.”
Whether she understood his thoughts or not, Veronica merely smiled.
“Are you truly all right? You’re not forcing yourself to let go, are you?”
“Of course not, Father. I’m in a wonderful mood right now.”
“…If that’s truly how you feel, then I suppose I have nothing more to say.”
Harry still felt deeply unsettled, but Veronica genuinely appeared happy, so he could not bring himself to press further.
Veronica set down her teacup.
A brief silence settled between them.
For some reason, it felt suffocating.
After quietly pondering something for a moment, Veronica spoke again.
“More importantly, Father. There’s something I’d like to ask of you.”
“Anything. Tell me.”
So she hasn’t truly given up after all?
Harry assumed she was about to ask for something regarding the Fourth Prince. Given how desperately she had pursued him before, he braced himself for yet another reckless request.
But the words that left Veronica’s mouth were entirely unexpected.
“Please allow me to accompany you the next time you visit the imperial palace.”
“You wish to accompany me?”
“Yes. Around this time of year, you usually attend an audience with His Majesty, don’t you? I would like to join you.”
Harry’s eyes widened.
“May I ask why?”
“I simply want to.”
It was an answer impossible to understand.
Harry looked puzzled, but Veronica only continued smiling pleasantly.
Half a month later, the Hardiness father and daughter entered the imperial palace.
Once Veronica’s health had mostly recovered, Harry fulfilled her request and brought her along to the audience with the Emperor.
Inside the grand audience chamber, Veronica came face to face with the Emperor.
In the distant future, this was the very man who had once shouted “Traitor!” and ordered her father’s execution. Yet now he greeted them with leisurely warmth.
Veronica skillfully concealed the twisting emotions beneath her calm expression.
“May the glory of the sun always shine upon Your Majesty. It is my honor to meet you for the first time. My name is Veronica Hardiness.”
“Oh? So you are the young lady of House Hardiness I’ve heard so much about.”
“It is an honor that Your Majesty already knows of me.”
Even knowing perfectly well that the rumors surrounding her were far from flattering, Veronica smiled as though genuinely delighted. The Emperor burst into hearty laughter at her attitude.
“Hahaha! Truly the daughter of a duke. To think someone only sixteen could already be this composed.”
“You flatter me.”
The Emperor’s praise brought her no joy whatsoever.
How could she possibly admire a man so impatient and debauched that he had produced countless illegitimate children? A man whose sons’ struggle for the throne and endless corruption had thrown the empire into chaos, while he himself died without suffering greatly at all.
A man like the filth left at the bottom of a garbage pit.
Even while cursing him inwardly, Veronica never allowed her smile to fade.
“So then, I heard you have something you wished to ask of me?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
She intended to get straight to the point rather than drag things out, but before she could continue, a servant announced the arrival of other visitors.
The Emperor waved his hand in welcome.
“Perfect timing.”
With the Emperor’s permission, two men entered the audience chamber.
Familiar faces.
“I summoned them after hearing that the young lady of House Hardiness would be visiting.”
The men he had called were Asar and Cassian.
Veronica immediately understood why the Emperor had summoned them. Judging by their expressions, the two princes were hardly pleased about being called here so suddenly either.
Harry felt much the same. Though he hid it well, traces of displeasure still lingered on his face.
Naturally, Veronica was not particularly grateful for the Emperor’s unnecessary consideration either.
Still, at this moment, his interference was not entirely unwelcome.
The Emperor clicked his tongue at his sons.
“I only summoned the Fourth Prince, yet the Fifth came along as well.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“The Fifth Prince may leave.”
Before Cassian could answer, Veronica spoke first.
“No, Your Majesty. Prince Theron should hear this as well.”
“The Fifth Prince? …Very well, then. He may stay.”
The Emperor reluctantly permitted him to remain.
Cassian offered a brief bow before walking forward alongside Asar. Soon the two brothers stood side by side next to the Emperor.
“Now then, speak. What is it you wished to ask of me?”
“In truth, there is something I earnestly wish to request from Your Majesty.”
“Oh? Go on, then. Speak freely.”
The Emperor shifted eagerly in his seat.
It was obvious he believed he already knew what she intended to say.
Veronica smiled radiantly. The sunlight streaming through the windows seemed to pour directly over her.
“I wish to marry Prince Cassian Theron Diasta.”
“The F-Fifth Prince? Not the Fourth?”
The Emperor stared at her in shock.
Surely the young lady of House Hardiness had feelings for the Fourth Prince. Duke Hardiness himself had come personally to request a marriage between Veronica and the Fourth Prince.
From the Emperor’s perspective, bringing House Hardiness under his influence was hardly a bad arrangement, which was why he had even ordered the Fourth Prince to visit House Hardiness and propose himself.
He had believed everything between them was progressing smoothly.
So what was this?
Veronica nodded calmly.
“Yes, Your Majesty. The man I wish to marry is Prince Cassian Theron.”
