CH 22

The place Theo and I headed to was the Star Palace located in the western part of the imperial palace. It used to be the residence of the late Emperor’s mistress, but now it was a desolate place where no one resided.

The Emperor built a small palace for his favorite mistress and named it Vanessa Palace after her.

It was a place I often went when organizing my thoughts. Above all, Ian would never find me here.

Since it was the place where his father’s concubine resided, it wouldn’t hold any sentimental value for him. The simple and unassuming exterior and modest scale also appealed to me.

It was a rare sight among the dazzling grandeur of the palace. Though it might appear somewhat dilapidated now without human touch, its unadorned and serene atmosphere put my mind at ease.

As we left the place where Ian and Rosetin were, the surging emotions gradually subsided as we entered a familiar place.

Soon, this will be Rosetin’s residence.

This place would soon be the residence of the Emperor’s mistress, Rosetin, so my hiding place would disappear soon.

The thought of it made me feel a little empty. As we reached the entrance to Vanessa Palace, I realized I had been holding Theo’s hand all along.

Feeling uneasy, I hurriedly tried to let go of his hand.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“I can lend it to you as much as you want if you need it.”

Theo said with a mischievous glint in his eye as he tightened his grip on my hand that I tried to shake off.

He slowly let go of his hand as I looked a little embarrassed by his casual behavior. Once again, awkward tension arose, and I couldn’t look straight into his eyes.

But his depthless green eyes followed mine.

At the entrance, we were greeted by manicured garden plants. The white flowers planted as a border bloomed widely, emitting a subtle fragrance.

It was a neglected area, but the palace gardener noticed the Empress’s frequent visits and took care of it.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here. You were here alone the day you suddenly disappeared during the foundation period.”

It seemed like Theo had visited this place before. I felt momentarily embarrassed that I didn’t recognize Lethenia’s memory, but I continued the conversation as naturally as possible.

“I was just looking for a quiet place in the palace, but as I came here often, I gradually grew fond of it.”

Theo and I slowly walked through the Vanessa Palace garden. He looked around and smiled softly.

“I can see why you like this place.”

Vanessa Palace must have been a place that suited not only mine but also Lethenia’s taste. However, I didn’t want to talk about the past Lethenia, fearing I might unintentionally make a slip of the tongue as I did last time.

I simply raised the corners of my mouth lightly without making any particular response. As we walked, a pleasant bird song filled the silence.

After some time had passed, I spoke first.

“You’re in trouble because of me.”

“I don’t care what they say. They’re not new to me either.”

Theo laughed in response, acting like it was no big deal; he, like Lethenia, seemed to be used to the negative attention surrounding him.

We strolled through the palace gardens in silence for a while. He didn’t ask me anything, as if he knew what was on my mind, but simply stood by my side in silence.

I remembered what had happened a while ago. Theo must have noticed my uneasy emotional state.

Although I firmly stated that I had no lingering attachment to Ian, my actions didn’t match my words. 

“Does it make sense that I’m acting like this?”

“It takes time for the heart to catch up with the head.”

A calm answer came back as if he knew everything. I felt frustrated because I had no way to explain this uncontrollable emotion, even to myself. There was only one thing I could say to him with certainty.

“Either way, I’m not changing my mind, you just have to trust me on that.”

He stopped walking, so I had no choice but to stop too. He spun around to face me as if he was about to say something very important.

He had a light smile, but he looked more serious than ever.

“If that decision is for the good of Her Majesty, I will always welcome it.”

“…….”

“You can live the rest of your life as you wish. You’ve suffered enough.”

“…….”

“Whatever you’re feeling right now, just start fresh, pretending you’ve forgotten all about the painful past, and maybe…… one day you’ll be okay?”

His warm voice pierced the center of my chest like an invisible arrow. It felt like he was talking to Kim Se-jin, not Lethenia.

Hearing those words, my heart inexplicably becomes heavy. It was ridiculous. He wasn’t even talking to me.

His eyes, as beautiful as ever, looked at me unwaveringly. I nodded slowly.

Then he smiled brightly. It was the kind of dazzling smile that could make anyone in the world fall in love.

It felt as if everything around me, except for him, was turning black and white. He was the only person in the world who cheered Lethenia’s happiness.

If only Kim Sejin had someone like him. I felt a sense of emptiness in one corner of my heart. 

“Duke Bledel requests your presence.”

It was a few days after the worst birthday of Lethenia’s life. Stella announced Duke Bledel’s visit with deep eyes.

With anticipation in my heart, I headed to the audience chamber, thinking what was expected had arrived. As I opened the door, an old man with piercing eyes stood before me.

His expressionless face, marked with wrinkles around his eyes and a mole beneath his left eye, matched the novel description. It was Lethenia’s father, Duke Edward Bledel.

According to the original, they have a unpleasant relationship. The intense gaze in his piercing eyes exuded the most wicked aura in the world.

A dark energy seemed to envelop him tightly. He was someone who could instill fear in people for no apparent reason just by sitting in front of them.

I felt the same unpleasant emotions that Lethenia experienced when facing Ian. It felt like those negative emotions were concentrated in the center of my heart.

A cold sweat broke out from the overwhelming discomfort. The male lead wasn’t the only one who could make her feel vulnerable. However, this type of emotion was a little different.

The predominant emotion that made my heart race madly was ‘fear.’ And underlying that was… resignation.

It’s not surprising after all these years of abuse. While the maid was preparing the tea, I quietly took deep breaths and controlled my emotions.

Only when we were alone in the room did Duke Bledel speak.

“So, you’ve done something outrageous in my absence.”

His tone was sharp, full of contempt and mockery. I must not show that I am afraid of him.

The moment I look weak, I’ll lose. I took a sip of tea as if I didn’t hear him and offered him some as well.

“I love the lemon from Mondelian. Why don’t you try some?”

“You allowed such an incompetent lady to become your maid?”

“…….”

“You pathetic wench, you never cease to disappoint me.”

Duke Edward Bledel. A man without any conscience or mercy, he was the greatest villain in the world in this novel. He was a deacon who was treasured by the late Emperor among the influential figures of Asha.

He joined forces with the Emperor to invade Xenos and won the war, gaining immense wealth and power. Gradually, Duke Bledel became a dangerous figure, capable of threatening imperial authority. When the Emperor and Empress died, leaving behind a young prince, Asha fell into his clutches.

Although there were some remaining forces among the noble families that tried to restrain him, no one dared to confront Duke Bledel directly. I set my teacup down a little harder and said.

“I am now the Empress of Asha. Please watch your language.”

The Duke’s face contorted slightly as I locked eyes with him. He clicked his tongue in exasperation.

“Tsk, tsk, I made you an empress, and now you’ve become a pompous prima donna without knowing your place. Didn’t I warn you? That no matter what you become, you will never escape my grasp.”

“…….”

“You hung yourself so much from the emperor, and now you’re cozying up with a marquis? Your actions are so lowly. You’re no different from that whore, mother of yours.”

Duke Bledel had Ian’s life in his grip and tamed young Lethenia. With her mother gone, he knew her only weakness was Ian.

His anger at her ex-wife has not faded over time. Unfortunately, Lethenia resembled her mother. By tormenting a mere child to the point of mental degradation, he felt a strange exhilaration.

It was also part of his cunning plan to instill deep-rooted fear in Lethenia and manipulate her at will, even when she became an adult.

Disgusting human. II glanced at his face with contempt and threw the teacup at his feet. Crash! The cup shattered, spilling its contents and staining his shoes.

He looked down at the splattered tea, his clothes slightly stained, and slowly raised his head, staring at me.

“You’ve become even more uncouth, haven’t you, my dear?”

I felt quite uncomfortable with the way he grinned, without blinking and showing his upper teeth. It was as if he had discovered amusing prey.

The flash that flickered in his red eyes for a moment felt like watching a scene from a thriller movie.

I felt a chill run down my spine and my pulse sped up frantically, as if I were an unlucky extra who had been caught by a serial killer.