AIWA 14

Chapter 14

The Grand Empress Dowager’s birthday was celebrated lavishly every year, and many people congratulated her birth and wished her good health. But throughout those years, the Grand Empress Dowager had only ever offered perfunctory smiles and had never truly been happy. And now, this same Grand Empress Dowager was in high spirits over her birthday. In fact, this was the first time she had ever appeared so excited.

‘That old fox must be up to something.’

Sidell’s premonition proved correct.

The day before the boating excursion, he received unwelcome news from his informant.

“Who did you say was spotted in the capital?”

“The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Ronater. The servants at their townhouse are bustling about preparing for their masters’ arrival, and the Grand Empress Dowager has reportedly sent the owner of Colt’s Atelier there.”

Colt’s Atelier was the most famous dress shop in the Imperial capital. It specialised in designs that were splendid and elegant yet didn’t appear ostentatious, which had made it a favourite among the Imperial ladies.

‘Sending the owner of that place to the Grand Duke’s townhouse…’

At the same time, the image of the Grand Empress Dowager looking so excited flashed through Sidell’s mind.

‘So that’s why I felt so uneasy back then.’

The Grand Empress Dowager might have her own reasons, but to Sidell, it was nothing but unpleasant and sickening obsession.

“Keep watch on the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Ronater’s every move, and report any unusual developments.”

Sidell dismissed the informant and descended into the Imperial Palace’s underground.

Passing through the knights guarding the underground entrance, he went down a long circular staircase until a thick, rough-hewn iron door came into view.

There was no visible locking mechanism, yet it was a door that no one had been able to open for a long time.

The Chamber of Truth.

Sidell stared at the iron door for a while, then ground his teeth.

“What is this pathetic room anyway?”

He put both hands against the door and pushed with all his strength. But the door didn’t budge an inch.

*Bang!*

In the end, he pounded violently on the door of truth. His teeth ground together involuntarily.

Naturally, the founding myth came to mind.

A thousand years ago, a god who loved a woman named Alia gave her this chamber as a gift. It was said that if a person permitted by the god asked a question of truth, the room would reveal everything. It was the god’s will to ensure that the beautiful and wise woman would not be deceived by falsehoods throughout her life.

The chamber was said to be large enough to hold several hundred people. Yet only the direct bloodline of the Emperor could open the door.

Alia built a house on top of it. With the god’s blessing at her back, she founded the Wevroton Holy Empire, and the house became the Imperial Palace.

Thus, the founding myth had been passed down relatively clearly.

Thanks to the Chamber of Truth.

The portrait of the first Emperor was also clear.

Alia Wevroton, with black hair and deep crimson eyes.

Afterwards, the hair and eye colours of the successive Emperors varied, but the physical traits of the first Emperor reappeared in the late Emperor. However, he died young at a young age. The only one who directly inherited the Emperor’s bloodline was the child in the Empress’s womb.

That was when the problems began.

From that point on, the Chamber of Truth would not open. The High Priest who officiated the rites said that because the throne became vacant before the child was born, the bloodline had been severed.

Chaos ensued, but since there was no one who could open the chamber, the truth could not be known.

Time passed.

The child born posthumously became Emperor.

Perhaps because the Chamber of Truth could not be opened, he did not rule the Empire as well as his predecessors, but his imperial son and daughter were both born healthy. They were Sidell and Verdi.

The aged High Priest was overjoyed at the birth of the imperial grandchildren. Just as he had blessed the posthumous Emperor, he blessed the children with all his heart.

The two children were well-educated and grew up according to their status.

If there was one regrettable point, it was that despite being precious imperial grandchildren, the Grand Empress Dowager did not dote on them—or so it seemed.

The Grand Empress Dowager behaved appropriately according to the occasion, but there was an invisible line drawn.

In fact, having been born the daughter of a ducal house and then becoming Empress, she was not a warm-hearted person, though she was upright.

She was only affectionate when dealing with her husband, the late Emperor.

Before she fell in love and became Empress, her attitude was so indifferent that those around her could hardly read her emotions at all—so one can imagine.

This characteristic indifference extended to her own son, the Crown Prince, so everyone simply accepted it when it came to her grandchildren as well.

Sidell and Verdi thought the same.

In fact, even living in the same Imperial Palace, unless there was a special event, they rarely saw the Grand Empress Dowager separately, so there was no major inconvenience.

Then one day, the Grand Empress Dowager changed.

To be precise, it started when she attended the wedding of Paello Ronater, the Grand Duke of Ronater, who had just come of age.

As if struck by lightning, the Grand Empress Dowager’s expression changed entirely, and she could not take her eyes off Paello.

After offering him brief congratulations on his marriage and exchanging a short conversation, the Grand Empress Dowager looked as if she had met her first love—overwhelmed with emotion.

Every time Paello said something utterly trivial, she would react with such delight.

She placed one hand on her chest and fanned herself with the other.

And her voice—how tender it was! Had she always been so expressive?

Sidell was not alone; everyone was bewildered.

Sidell was certain she had lost her mind.

At her age, chasing after a young man.

Thank goodness Paello was already married; otherwise, he would have had to witness the repulsive sight of an old woman seducing a youth in the Imperial Palace.

Everyone whispered about it.

But a few days later, the gossip shifted.

“I think I understand why Her Grand Empress Dowager is acting that way.”

One senior nobleman’s private remark at a party was overheard by Sidell.

“It’s about Paello Ronater, the Grand Duke. He looks exactly like His Late Majesty the Emperor.”

As a result, nobles began flocking to the Imperial Palace’s exhibition hall to view the late Emperor’s portrait.

Sidell wanted to tell them to stop talking nonsense. But even he had to admit that Paello bore a striking resemblance to the late Emperor’s portrait.

Sidell realised that the previous Emperor, who had arranged the political marriage, had made a mistake.

The Imperial family should have paid attention to Paello’s appearance beforehand.

Had they been aware, they could have prevented the Grand Empress Dowager from attending even the first-ever marriage between the Holy Empire and the Demon Kingdom.

After the late Emperor passed away, curious nobles began digging more actively into Paello’s background.

For a while, his genealogy became a major topic at parties.

“I heard that the previous Grand Duke of Ronater was adopted. They brought him from an orphanage, but he was so exceptionally gifted that they eventually made him their successor.”

“They say the North’s finances were originally poor, but that adopted son turned everything around. He expanded the territory to eight estates, so even the collateral relatives can’t make a move.”

“Isn’t the Ronater family the wealthiest in the Holy Empire right now? I don’t think there’s a single northern territory that doesn’t pay protection fees to the Ronater Grand Ducal House.”

“Good heavens! Then could he possibly be the late Emperor’s illegitimate son? With such outstanding abilities… blood will tell, won’t it?”

“That’s impossible! How could His Majesty have had an illegitimate child! What nonsense are you spouting!”

“Everyone knows His Late Majesty was faithful and loved only the Grand Empress Dowager, don’t they?”

“Who knows if that was just on the surface? If we put the Grand Duke of Ronater in the Chamber of Truth, we’d find out soon enough, wouldn’t we?”

“Perhaps the Chamber of Truth hasn’t lost its power, but rather the child was swapped?”

“Shh! Watch your tongue! Do you even realise what you’re saying? That’s treasonous talk!”

A voice that bordered on treason was briefly raised, then quickly hushed. After that, the focus shifted to possible improper conduct by the late Emperor.

Because of this, the Grand Empress Dowager fell ill with worry for a while.

But when she heard that Paello had attended the Foundation Day celebration alone one day, she sprang up from her seat as if she had never been ill.

After lavishly adorning herself, she glued herself to Paello’s side.

She asked after his well-being, urged him to try this and that, lamented how hard he must have worked protecting the North, and fussed over him not to get hurt at the hunting competition—watching her fuss so solicitously was deeply uncomfortable for Sidell.

Whatever the Grand Empress Dowager did, Paello remained expressionless and gave mostly yes-or-no monosyllabic replies, which at least allowed Sidell to keep his own composure.

After that, Paello cited being busy guarding the North and stopped attending all Imperial parties.

Even though the Grand Empress Dowager sent him handwritten invitations every time. To Sidell, it was a great relief.

All such stories were placed under indefinite embargo by the press. Sidell used the informants of the Rotari Information Guild—which he backed—to quietly eliminate any journalist who attempted to speak of it.

And whenever the Grand Empress Dowager’s birthday approached, he planted spies in the Ronater Grand Ducal castle.

Because he wanted to hear that Paello had once again declined the invitation.

Each time Sidell received the news he had been waiting for, the Grand Empress Dowager’s complexion would wither, but he didn’t care.

Yet now, for some change of heart, Paello had decided to attend this party. At least he was staying at the townhouse rather than the Imperial Palace—that was some relief.

The Grand Empress Dowager would have preferred Paello to stay at the palace, no doubt.

‘Has the recent decline in demon incursions made him too idle and peaceful?’

Sidell ground his teeth quietly, then turned and returned to his office.

‘If he’s idle, I’ll just make him busy. It’s about time for a war anyway.’

He sat at his desk and began writing a letter.

It has been a long time. Goth Opfer, Demon King.