CH 19

[Yvette’s POV]

Empress Dowager, holding a cane in her hand, shouted at Yvette.

“Come to me at once and roll up your skirt.”

Realizing the meaning, Yvette’s face was horrified.

‘Ri, right now are you trying to hit me with that?’

Although she was the daughter of a concubine, Yvette was a princess.

I’ve never been beaten since I was born thanks to my birth mother raising me like gold and jade.*

TL/N: Korean proverb which means caring and cherishing one’s beloved ones.

For Yvette, this situation felt like hell.

‘No. I don’t want to get hit!’

Yvette, who was trembling, miraculously remembered a way to protect herself.

Yvette mustered up the courage to speak.

“I, I am the blood of His Majesty the Emperor. To, to touch me like that, you have to get permission from the Emperor.”

That was what Siana said the other day to protect Aris.

In this imperial palace, the Emperor was absolute.

It cannot be ignored if it is Empress Dowager, no, since she was not on good terms with the emperor, she couldn’t ignore all the more.

However, Yvette’s prediction was wrong.

Far from flinching, the Empress Dowager looked even more angry.

“How dare you threaten me by mentioning my son?!”

“… … !”

“Tell the emperor once. How he’ll react!”

No matter how long it had been since they were worse off than anyone else, the Empress Dowager was the emperor’s mother.

She knew the Emperor better than anyone else.

‘Do you think that cold-blooded bastard would listen to a daughter who he has no interest in?’

Yvette realized the cold truth from Empress Dowager’s eyes.

There is no way out of this situation.

Yvette couldn’t even make a sound anymore and stood in front of Empress Dowager and pulled up her skirt.

The cane flew fiercely at the trembling, slender legs.

Slap! 

At that moment, Yvette muttered involuntarily.

“…uck”

TL/N: In case you’re confused, Yvette is cursing the F word but only part of the curse is heard.

Empress Dowager had good ears.

She looked at Yvette, who had uttered vulgar words that should not be spoken by a princess with a look of absurdity, then gave more strength to her hand holding the cane.

Strongly, more than when she raised the cane to make her one and only son emperor.

Slap! 

Yvette eventually burst into tears after the second cane.

“Heuuaaaag!”

However, Empress Dowager was not merciful enough to relieve her anger with just one cry.

Empress Dowager swung the cane several more times.

Slap!

Despite shedding sad tears, Yvette did not let go of hope.

‘Heug, if my mother knew about this, she wouldn’t wait and see. She’ll be mad for me!’

But how vain was Yvette’s wish.

What Yvette’s biological mother did when she came to Ruby Palace was to knock her head to the floor to the point where her forehead was bleeding.

“I am grateful that you personally taught my child who was lacking, Empress Dowager.”

Then she violently pressed down on the head of Yvette, who was standing in a daze with her bloodied legs.

She said urgently.

“What are you doing, Yvette. You should hurry up and say thank you too.”

“… … !”

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Only then did Yvette realize for sure.

The gap between Empress Dowager and her mother.

No matter how much she was on bad terms with the Emperor, no matter how many years she shut herself up in her own palace, the Empress Dowager was the Empress Dowager.

A concubine and an imperial woman can disappear as if they were dead.

Yvette leaned to the floor with a despaired face.

“Th……thank you, heueg.”

At that moment, Yvette saw.

The face of Aris, who was looking down at her from the Empress Dowager’s side.

A child with big purple eyes, it was the look in the eyes of a victor who achieved what she wanted.

Yvette clearly noticed.

‘It didn’t happen because of luck. It was all your plan.’

To be precise, all of this was planned by Siana, Aris’ maid who was standing one step behind.

But Yvette would never find out about it in her life.

TL/N: Revenge best served cold and ten-fold~

***

[Third Person POV]

The incident at Ruby Palace spread widely throughout the Imperial Palace.

People in the imperial palace were shocked.

What surprised them was not that the concubine and the princess bowed their heads miserably.

“The Empress Dowager left the palace.”

“Yes. She hasn’t been involved in the affairs of the imperial palace for decades, but I can’t believe it.”

Besides, the Empress Dowager left the palace because of the Princess Aris, not anyone else.

Although she was not on good terms with the emperor and had no power left to change the flow of the imperial family, Empress Dowager was a great adult in the imperial family.

Receiving the attention of such a person was not a small thing that could be trivialized.

“… …You’ll be in trouble if you treat Princess Aris like before.”

That was the conclusion of the people in the imperial family.

[Siana’s POV]

“What’s all that?”

Aris looked at Siana with her eyes wide open.

All sorts of things were piled up on the cart that Siana had pulled.

“They are things sent from the supply store.”

The finest paper and pens, colorful fabrics, sparkling tea utensils, and accessories with gorgeous jewels.

These were luxurious objects that Aris had never seen in her life.

“They used to be strict when you asked for a piece of paper, but why did they send me this all of a sudden?”

Siana smiled brightly.

“If they don’t take care of the princess properly, they’re afraid they’ll get scolded by the Empress Dowager.”

“Wow, Grandmother must be scary.”

That wasn’t the only thing that changed.

Aris said while munching on the bread.

“Send a maid to Ruby Palace?”

Siana nodded.

“Yes. They say that one maid is too few in a place the size of Ruby’s Palace, and they’re adding more. Please tell me how many people the Princess wants.”

Aris made a face that chewed poop.

“To do something useless. I don’t need another maid.”

All I need is you!

— There was an ardent gaze.

Siana lowered her eyebrows.

“But I think it would be better to add one or two more maids.”

“Why? Is it hard to manage the palace alone?”

It was manageable if I only focused on managing the palace.

But that wasn’t all Siana was doing.

I had to attend to Aris. And the education of Aris.

“To be honest, I’m short of two, or even ten bodies.”

Aris kept her mouth shut at Siana’s words.

Aris likes being alone with Siana. But she didn’t want to trouble Siana.

Aris said in a soft voice.

“Okay. Then recruit in as many maids as you need.”

“All right.”

Aris said while rolling her round eyes.

“Even if a new maid comes in, you have to take care of me.”

“All right.”

“Don’t get too close with the other maids.”

“… …Princess, you’re like the male lead in a romance novel.”

“What’s that?”

“There’s something like that.”

Aris stuck out her mouth like a duck and said.

“Anyway, promise me.”

Aris held out her little finger.

Ever since the two of them made a pact to get along in the Ruby Palace, Aris used to cross her fingers and make promises like this.

“Hehe.”

Only then did Aris’ face loosen up.

* * *

[Siana’s POV]

On a sunny afternoon, Siana was dressing up Aris.

Aris, entrusted to Siana’s hands, hummed softly.

It was a poem by Levrams, the greatest poet in the empire.

“My dear one. You are my spring flower. You are my…… Uwegg.”

Aris couldn’t resist and said with an irritated face.

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“I really can’t take it. You can just read it with your eyes. Why do you want me to read it like a song.”

Siana braided Aris’ hair and wrinkled her nose.

“What can I do? The Empress Dowager likes things like that.”

Aris is memorizing poetry these days.

It was to read aloud in front of Empress Dowager, who likes to read poetry.

It was one of the many ways to be loved by the Empress Dowager.

Aris sighed.

“Anyway, I don’t understand the taste of the elderly.”

Siana chuckled at the words.

Aris soon finished dressing up.

Today, she wore a blue dress with several ribbons and braided her hair in two braids.

Siana looked at Aris and crossed her hands.

“You’re pretty today, my princess.”

“I know.”

“Then shall we go?”

The two people who left Ruby Palace opened their eyes wide.

This is because Princess Yvette was standing in front of the palace.

Yvette’s face, which she hadn’t seen in a long time, had become unrecognizable.

It was dark under her eyes, and she lost weight on my cheeks.

‘It is understandable as she was severely punished by the Empress Dowager and word spread throughout the palace that she was firmly stamped by the Empress Dowager, so it’s worth it.’

Everyone in the palace laughed at Yvette and avoided her.

Just like they did to Aris in the past.

So, Siana blocked Yvette’s way.

It was because I was worried that Yvette might do something terrible to Aris.

Yvette growled as she glared at Siana.

[Yvette’s POV]

‘It’s her again.’

In my heart, I wanted to scold Siana right away, but I couldn’t.

Because I knew how much Aris felt for this maid.

‘If you do that, Aris will run to the old hag and tell her.’

Yvette now knows how scary the Empress Dowager is.

I gave up on getting tangled up in that kind of thing anymore.

So Yvette swallowed her anger and gritted her teeth.

“I have something to tell your master, so get out of my way.”

Siana took a step back, making sure there were no threatening objects in her hands.

“Looking at you dressed up, I guess you’re going to Grandmother’s again right?”

Aris looked up at Yvette and smiled.

“Yes, it’s because my grandmother said she missed me and came to visit me, saying that the day was long.”

Yvette’s lips twitched at the words.

“Yes. Grandmother is on your side, and the treatment of the people in the imperial palace, who didn’t treat you like dust, has changed, so you’ll be able to live these days. But do you know that?”

Yvette opened her eyes and continued.

“The fact that grandmother was involved in the death of your mother.”

Aris’ face turned pale at the unexpected words.

“……What do you mean?”

Aris’ mother, Rosemary, died the day she gave birth to Aris.

It is because of Aris, who was born earlier than scheduled.

So Aris always had to blame herself for saying that her mother died because of her.

Looking at Aris, who had stiffened, Yvette raised a corner of her mouth.

“Of course, your mother died because of you. But it was a little unlucky. At that time, all the doctors at the Imperial Palace were away.”

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She (A) knew the story too.

But the words that followed were enough to make Aris’ whole body cold.

“But there was only one doctor who could help that day. He was the attending physician of Grandmother at the Empress Dowager Palace. But Grandmother didn’t send a doctor. It means that it doesn’t matter whether a lowly dancer dies or not!”

Yvette said, glaring at Aris.

“Do you understand? Your mother died because Grandmother didn’t send a doctor!”

Aris said in a trembling voice.

“……Don’t lie.”

“I’m not lying. It’s a fact I heard from my mom. If you don’t believe it, go ask your Grandmother who likes you so much right away.”

Of course, Aris wouldn’t be able to do that.

She’ll have to wag her tail and flirt with the old woman who held her lifeline.

“To please the person who killed her mother with a smile. It’s a disgusting woman.”

Yvette’s contemptuous voice penetrated Aris’ heart.

TL/N: This lil shit needs to be yeeted to the MOON.

[Aris’ POV]

Even after Yvette disappeared, Aris’ expression didn’t look good.

Looking at Aris, who was completely white, Siana said.

“Princess, you’d better just go back to Ruby Palace.”

Aris shook her head.

“No, my Grandmother is waiting for me. If she knew that I came all the way here and went back, she would be very angry.”

“But…”

“It’s all right. I don’t care what Yvette says. Let’s go.”

Siana was uneasy, but nodded in agreement.

Thus, the two arrived at the Empress Dowager Palace.

“Welcome, Aris.”

Empress Dowager, who fell in love with Aris, had a gentle smile on her face.

It was a face without the slightest hostility or suspicion.

But Aris knew.

‘Never let go of your mind.’

Siana told Aris several times.

[The Empress Dowager has come to cherish Aris a lot, but you have to be careful not to offend her. It’s still an old woman’s fickle affection.]

So Aris had to laugh today too.

I had to show only a beautiful figure like a doll.

But…

“Grandmother, do you remember my mother?”

Unknowingly, the words came out.

I saw the eyes of Siana, who was standing next to me, widen.

Aris was afraid, but the water had already been spilled.

Empress Dowager furrowed her eyebrows.

Her face asked why I was suddenly asking such a thing.

After a while, Empress Dowager answered in a subdued voice.

“I don’t know well because I haven’t paid any attention to the imperial palace since I took a rest here.”

“… … .”

“But I know that. Your mother was a lowly dancer? It was the first time the emperor had fallen for a woman like that, so I remember how noisy the palace was.”

Thump, Aris’ heart sank.

The Empress looked at the distorted face of Aris and lowered her eyebrows, muttering, ‘Oh my.’

She said, stroking her granddaughter’s plump cheeks.

“Don’t worry. I don’t intend to reap the love I have for you now. Besides, weren’t you this beautifully grown up? Your mother’s vulgarity bears no resemblance.”

… … It was Empress Dowager’s own consolation and praise.

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But Aris seemed to have been beaten with a whip made of three tongues.

I wanted to scream right away.

‘Don’t talk about my mom like that!’

And I wanted to hold on to your shoulders and ask a question.

‘Is it true you didn’t send a doctor to my mom?’

No, you can find out without asking.

What Yvette said would be true.

There’s no way that someone who spoke of my mother like a bug in front of me would have helped her.

I’m sure she would have thrown it away without caring whether it died or not.

Just like she did to her little granddaughter she didn’t even know was born.

Anger against the Empress soared again.

‘As expected, I hate this person.’

I want to pour tea on that wrinkled face.

I want to say the worst curse words in the world I know.

[Siana’s POV]

Reading Aris’ eyes, Siana bit her lip.

‘Is this it.’