STE 05

Chapter 05

Duke Romaire had never liked Tethys in the first place.

So now, he probably hated her.

But what Tethys feared was not whether he would seek revenge against her.

What frightened her was the memories of her family that would surface whenever she saw his face. Every memory she had of the Duke was connected to her family, especially her elder brother, who had met such a miserable end.

‘Get a grip.’

Tethys gritted her teeth and raised her head.

Perhaps the gods had heard her wish, because the owner of those burning, scorching eyes turned his head at precisely the right moment as well.

Swallowing a sigh of relief, Tethys casually looked around and thought,

‘Was his late arrival intentional?’

Officially, the Duke was supposed to pay his respects to the Emperor.

But by arriving late, he had gained a legitimate excuse not to approach the Emperor, who should have been finishing his greetings with his partner on the dance floor.

Come to think of it, after the change in imperial power, Tethys had never heard that Duke Romaire had entered the capital.

Even though she had been away from the capital for six months, news of an important event like the Duke of Romaire’s movements should certainly have reached her ears.

‘Perhaps Eden doesn’t recognize Romain as Emperor.’

If that was true, was this good news for Tethys?

…She would have to wait and see.

First, she had to accept the dance invitation from this utterly detestable man.

“Empress, rise.”

The first dance had been with his mistress, and the second with his legitimate wife, the Empress.

If she had loved him, perhaps she would have been trembling with outrage at his rudeness and betrayal.

But to Tethys now, none of this mattered anymore.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

She obediently answered, took his hand, and slowly stepped forward.

She felt goosebumps spreading from the fingertips where the skin of that disgusting man touched hers, but she somehow managed to keep her expression composed.

This was simply one of the many things she had to do by attending this banquet.

So long as she accomplished it, that was enough.

“…This is a song you like, Your Majesty.”

As the music began to play, Tethys spoke first.

Ever since the execution of Crown Prince Theodore, Tethys had spoken to Romain first noticeably less often.

So Romain looked at her strangely, as though she were doing something he had never seen her do before.

Tethys met his gaze as well.

Perhaps this was the first time they had exchanged such a complete, uninterrupted look.

Thinking that the reflection of her own face, captured entirely within his vicious eyes, looked terribly unfamiliar, she whispered softly,

“Countess Troia seems to know Your Majesty’s tastes very well.”

At that, Romain’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you jealous?”

Jealous?

Tethys nearly burst out laughing.

Barely suppressing the emotions rising inside her, she calmly replied,

“I would say it is closer to concern.”

“Concern? You?”

“Having heard the oracle, you know that sleeping with me is unavoidable. I suppose I am worried that Countess Troia’s feelings might be hurt.”

Had the word ‘sleeping together’ been the trigger?

Romain glared at her with a viciously distorted expression and spat out the words as though biting down on them.

“The Empress seems to think I will believe that ridiculous oracle.”

“Aria is the guardian deity who has watched over Carnes since its founding. Whenever a crisis was about to occur, she would warn us beforehand through an oracle.”

“So?”

“Faith that has spread deeply among everyone cannot simply be forcibly taken away.”

Spin.

Tethys turned exactly as her body remembered, then lifted the corners of her lips.

“So once this oracle spreads, the people of the Empire will desperately await a child born between Your Majesty and me.”

Seeing his expression twist once again as though he found the very thought disgusting felt strangely fascinating.

How had he managed to conceal how much he hated her so perfectly before, despite being this repulsed by her?

Had his desire for the throne been powerful enough to make him embrace even a woman he hated?

Tethys wondered if that was the power of authority she herself had never once been able to touch.

While her pointless thoughts continued, Tethys soon gathered herself and kindly pointed out what he was overlooking.

“Members of the Imperial Family have a duty to live up to the expectations of the people of the Empire, Your Majesty.”

“Ah? Heh… Empress, are you trying to lecture me right now?”

His fiercely gleaming eyes reminded her of the day he had murdered her family.

Her body seemed to stiffen.

For a moment, it was difficult to endure.

You murderer! Why did you kill them all?

She wanted to scream and strangle him right then and there.

But—

Calm down. Calm down.

Tethys repeated the words to herself.

He was disgusting and horrifying, but attacking him without being prepared would be incredibly foolish.

For now, she had to do only what she needed to do.

Nothing more.

“Why are you so afraid?”

So she provoked Romain.

“…What?”

Against the sharp, mournful melody of the violin, Tethys tightened the hand holding his arm.

“If an emperor who will rule the continent of Para is born from my womb… then that child will also rule Carnes, will he not?”

Her shadow settled across the smooth marble floor.

Looking at Romain’s handsome face, so wonderfully ruined by anger, Tethys lowered her voice once more and asked,

“Are you trying to ignore the expectations of the people and turn away from me because you are afraid that this might threaten Your Majesty?”

“…Insolent.”

Insolent? Do you even understand what that word truly means?

Just because you imitate the language of a monarch and pretend to possess the bearing of one does not mean you gain any dignity, usurper.

Tethys barely swallowed the words that had risen to her throat and gave him a smile filled with hatred.

“If that was the case, then forgive me.”

With that brief answer, Tethys calmly withdrew and lightly bent her knee.

At the same time, the music came to an end with the resounding blast of a trumpet.

Romain stared at the back of the hand she extended for the ceremonial greeting with blazing eyes before briefly pressing his lips against it.

“Then, until next time.”

Tethys turned away without the slightest hesitation.

Romain stared intently at her retreating figure and furrowed his brows deeply.

A servant approached him and whispered into his ear.

“…Your Majesty, a delegation has also arrived from the Kingdom of Lomdra.”

“What?”

“We are currently stopping them at the entrance because they have no invitation, but… they keep insisting that they must see Your Majesty.”

Romain looked down at the servant’s deeply troubled face and spoke in a voice as cold as frost.

“Drive them out.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

With an intensely unpleasant feeling settling over him, Romain finally tore his gaze away from Tethys.

“Your Highness, are you already awake?”

It was still before sunrise.

Dalia carefully entered the room according to Tethys’s usual waking time from the monastery, only to be surprised to find her already sitting up in bed.

“I woke up early.”

“Then I’ll prepare your bathwater… Ah! What happened to the back of your hand…?”

Dalia, who had been approaching with a thick shawl, spoke in a startled voice when she noticed the reddish wound on Tethys’s previously smooth skin.

“It’s nothing.”

“But Your Highness is famous for having such delicate, beautiful hands. To see a wound like this…”

“Preparing gloves would be faster.”

It might also prevent something like last night from happening again.

The hand that had touched Romain still felt filthy, as though it had been stained with dirt.

No matter how much Tethys washed it again and again throughout the night, she could not shake the unpleasant feeling.

Just as Tethys was about to get out of bed, the door suddenly flew open without warning.

“Your Majesty, breakfast is here. Please eat before it gets cold… Ah, I-I see you’re already awake.”

Baroness Aegis had brought several maids with her to wake Tethys.

It was not even six in the morning yet.

Considering that noblewomen who enjoyed banquets until late at night generally woke around ten in the morning, disturbing Tethys’s sleep at such an unagreed-upon early hour was an impolite act.

If the palace had been properly disciplined, Viscountess Padopoulos, the head lady-in-waiting, should have stopped Baroness Aegis.

But it seemed she had decided to take the attitude of a complete bystander.

That was how narrow Tethys’s influence had become after being away for six months.

Meanwhile, a look of puzzlement briefly appeared on Baroness Aegis’s face.

She clearly had not expected Tethys to be awake despite having brought breakfast.

Then the expression quickly disappeared.

Baroness Aegis’s intention was obvious.

‘Such a shallow little trick.’

Without getting angry, Tethys nodded and habitually began arranging the bedding.

Baroness Aegis stared at her for a while before a mocking smile appeared around her lips.

“Your Highness, why don’t you ‘ask’ me for it? You don’t need to behave as though you’re still in the monastery here.”

“Ask? Me, you?”

Tethys retorted coldly.

At the ensuing silence, a trace of tension appeared on Baroness Aegis’s smiling face.

Ask.

When someone of higher rank spoke to someone beneath them, it was an ‘instruction’ or an ‘order,’ not a ‘request.’

Everyone present knew that Baroness Aegis had deliberately chosen those words to find fault with Tethys.

The prolonged silence made Baroness Aegis hesitate for a moment.

But then Tethys spoke again, and Baroness Aegis let out a smooth, mocking laugh.

“…Very well. I’ll do that starting tomorrow.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Of course.”

Baroness Aegis realized that Tethys was letting the matter pass without making an issue of it.

But she was irritated that she had been frightened, even if only briefly, and pouted.

Of course. What could a scarecrow of an Empress possibly do?

She gestured for the food she had considered taking back to be brought inside just in case, then smiled confidently as the dishes were placed on the table one after another.

“Please eat, Your Highness.”

Black barley bread covered in mold.

Corn soup so thin it was practically water.

And a glass of lukewarm water.

“I brought food suitable for Your Highness.”

Baroness Aegis carefully watched Tethys’s face, clearly waiting to see her reaction.

“Do you like it?”

The special meal she had hurried the kitchen servants into preparing from early morning was far too shabby for an Empress to eat.

No.

It was unquestionably shabby.