Chapter 54

"You are so beautiful, your highness!"

"How lovely!"

Samantha and the other maids had me stand in front of the mirror and exclaimed. It was embarrassing, but… Even I thought I looked good.

I could understand this was very important. Cransia was the biggest and the most powerful kingdom in this world. As the only wife of the emperor, how I looked mattered. A lot.

This world's best makeup, fashion, and skincare were applied to me as the pride of Cransia. Day after day, ever since I arrived at this castle, the conditions of my skin and hair improved greatly. My skin was porcelain smooth and my hair shined naturally.

Looking the way I looked now, it was possible even my own family in Korea may not recognize me.

I was horrible at accepting compliments, but I thought perhaps this time, they were right. I tried murmuring it out loud.

"I… I look beautiful…"

I got goosebumps! Humbleness was so deeply ingrained in me it felt so uncomfortable. I blushed in mortification.

Objectively speaking, I did look better. It was a good transformation.

My hair was decorated stunningly with white flowers, pearls, and diamonds. Elza carefully chose a dress I wore during the coronation celebration. It was an ombre dress with the darkest indigo on top and got lighter as it flowed down. Whenever I moved, it looked like an ocean wave at night.

It was such a beautiful color I didn't have to wear many pieces of jewelry. I wore a simple necklace made of diamonds and pearls but didn't wear any bracelets or earrings.

Elza complimented me, "You look like Orestita, the goddess of the night!"

I couldn't take any more flattery, so I changed the subject quickly.

"I think it's time to go. The emperor must be waiting."

"Oh my! That's true!"

"Let's get going!"

All the maids started to move fast, but I still didn't see Lisbeth anywhere. Where did she go? Did she return to her room to cry?

When I was about to ask one of the maids to find her, the door opened slowly and a familiar figure walked in.

"…"

"…"

"…"

The room became silent with tension.

Lisbeth smiled brightly like a blooming rose and announced.

"Thank god. You haven't left yet."

I didn't have to see the other maids' faces to know what they looked like. I knew they probably looked like my own horrified expression.

Lisbeth didn't seem to notice as she continued to smile shyly.

I murmured rigidly.

"I see that you changed your outfit."

"Yes, your highness."

Lisbeth looked completely different than an hour ago. Her hair, makeup, and clothes were all new. She shined like a beautiful rose.

Her dress… It was a pretty dark blue dress.

"…"

Everyone was thinking the same thing except for Lisbeth. Anyone with half a brain should have been able to read the room, but not Lisbeth. She must have felt the cold stares, but it was clear she didn't understand why. She looked at me as if she was being treated unfairly.

What the heck! Was she asking me to help her?

I became so shocked I just stared at her.

She did look very pretty. Looking like that, I knew any man would be interested.

"…"

I turned away without sympathy. Without looking at her, I walked past her coldly. The other maids followed me in a similar manner.

I walked with a huge entourage. The number of maids and servants one wielded was proportional to the level of one's power and influence. Currently, the dowager empress was the only woman who had a bigger entourage than mine.

What Lisbeth did was unforgivable. As the emperor's wife, my maids needed to do their best to make me stand out. Being dolled up herself with a dress similar to mine was shocking.

It was clear she had openly challenged me. There was no way she didn't know what this meant.

She wanted to be noticed by the emperor. She actually thought she had a chance to beat me here.

"…"

As I walked towards the emperor's office, people bowed to me deeply. I could see their eyes turned towards Lisbeth in confusion.

I felt annoyed.

Why did I feel this way?

I felt frustrated, but I didn't know why.

If I was in love with my husband, then it would make sense that another woman's attention would cause me to become jealous.

I didn't love Lucretius though, and I was doing my best to leave this world.

The logic in my head couldn't explain how I felt about this situation. I had no control over my feelings.

I wondered how Lucretius would react when he saw me and Lisbeth together. I knew there was no doubt Lisbeth was more beautiful than me. I know he claimed he valued intelligence and strength in woman, but at the end of the day, he was still a man. What man would ever reject a beautiful woman?

I felt like I couldn't breathe. Was it because of the corset?

"Your highness."

Samantha called me out from my thoughts.

We were standing in front of the emperor's office.

***

The emperor's wife going in and out of his personal office wouldn't have looked good, but the only thing that made it fine was the fact that the emperor himself ordered it. His servants bowed to be respectful.

When I was about to enter as the servant opened the door for me, I could hear voices from the inside.

"…"

"…"

One was that of the emperor, which I was familiar with, but I was unsure whom the other voices belonged to. I couldn't understand what they were talking about.

Someone else was inside with him after all.

Did he invite another person too?

For some reason, I became angry.

I asked the servant coldly, "Is there someone else inside?"

The servant answered apologetically, "His highness is having a discussion with the chancellor."

"Oh, no…"

I came at the wrong time, but to leave now after making such a scene would make me look ridiculous. I decided to wait.

"Then I can wait here until he's done."

The servant started to sweat visibly and shook his head.

"No, your highness."

"No?"

Shouldn't I wait until the first guest was done? It was the chancellor. It was someone even the emperor couldn't disrespect.

However, the servant explained to me.

"His highness ordered me to make sure you are ushered in immediately as the most important guest."

"…"

What?

Did he really have something urgent to tell me? Perhaps he found a way for me to return home!

I became hopeful. I followed the servant in as my heart beat fast.

"Your highness, her highness the first wife is here."

The door opened and we walked in.

Inside had a very different atmosphere than my own office. There was a large mahogany desk and the walls were fully covered with books to the ceiling.

There was also a low table decorated with an elegant white map.

As I walked past the table, I couldn't help but be impressed. It was a beautiful table that had the map of the entire world on top. There were flags and small gold pieces representing the relationsh.i.p.s between different nations. I didn't understand them well, but it dawned to me again how powerful this man was.

Why did he ask me to come here? I wondered again.

A kind-looking old man smiled at me.

"Long time no see, your highness."

I reacted quickly.

"Yes, how have you been?"

The white-bearded man laughed delightedly.

I finally remembered him. Such a kind face! It was him.

The day after the former emperor's murder, I was ordered to a meeting and this was the chancellor who helped Lucretius.

I still didn't know his name or his exact title, but I knew I couldn't act confused.

This was awkward. It appeared the emperor and the chancellor was discussing something very important. It would be best if I excused myself. At least, Lucretius wouldn't be able to accuse me of not following his order.

I smiled like a wise wife and stated.

"It looks like I have interrupted your important meeting. I will return to my wing, so please call for me again when you are available."

However, unlike my expectation, the chancellor shook his head with a smile.

"There is no need, my lady. We weren't discussing anything you can't hear about."

"That's right."

Lucretius grinned annoyingly. When I looked confused, he studied me slowly and smiled.

He said to me, "Such a brightness! My eyes are being blinded."

"Pardon? It's actually quite cloudy right now…"

"No, I meant your beauty. You overwhelm me with your exquisiteness, my wife."