Puuuuuuu.
The sound of the horn announcing the Emperor’s entry into the palace echoed throughout Karsic Palace. Having entered the palace grounds now, they would soon arrive after passing through the forest path.
Carolina felt anxious. She wanted to calmly touch up her makeup and brush her hair one more time.
“So Carolina, I still think His Highness Patrick would be good for you.”
Carolina snapped back to reality at the sound of Patrick’s name from Julia’s lips. She had been absentmindedly listening to Julia’s words, her mind swirling with thoughts.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to ask father and Her Majesty the Empress Dowager to arrange an engagement before His Highness Patrick returns to Tane.”
Carolina’s face turned pale.
“Why? You liked Harchen, didn’t you?”
“You weren’t listening to me.”
Julia inwardly sneered. For over ten days, she had been frequenting the palace almost daily. Yet Carolina kept her mouth shut and didn’t confide anything about Patrick.
Their rumors had already spread as far as the noble tea party tables in Riswan market. Julia intended to use that scandal to her advantage.
“Even though the Empress lost her memories, they say Harchen is still devoted to her?”
“Hmm, I’ve heard that’s the case.”
“So I’ve decided to give up cleanly and get married. You and I are past the prime age for marriage anyway.”
“……”
Carolina felt uneasy. Her mother, the Empress Dowager, clearly disapproved of not only the Empress but also Patrick.
Even though she had received a promise to submit a marriage proposal in a month, she advised Carolina to maintain her dignity as an imperial princess.
Instead of congratulating her wholeheartedly and preparing together, she might be intending to make other arrangements in the meantime. For some reason, Carolina thought so.
When she heard the news of Empress Patricia’s memory loss, Carolina overheard her mother muttering softly to herself.
“The twins from Tane, they always bring such strange occurrences.”
Though not meant to be answered, it sounded clearly to Carolina, as if in warning.
“You can’t find a single noble in the empire who doesn’t know about my one-sided love for Harchen. Above all, His Highness Patrick was quite popular since our days at Tane Academy. I realized that the answer to freeing myself from disgrace and living freely is indeed a royal marriage with His Highness Patrick.”
“Julia, how could your love of so many years change?”
“It hasn’t changed. I still love Harchen. That’s why, if it’s not Harchen, anyone will do. But while others might be clingy, His Highness Patrick is gentle. I know that from experience.”
Carolina detested how nobles would leer and act lecherously. Knowing this well, Julia inwardly laughed and spoke nonchalantly.
“……”
Carolina was the first to break the awkward silence between them.
“Julia, you were my cradle friend. Also, I believed you would stay by elder brother Harchen’s side.”
‘Is that so? But now you can’t hate the Empress because she’s the twin of His Highness Patrick, whom you’ve fallen for?’
Julia suppressed the words rising in her throat by snapping open her folding fan.
“Julia. I have something to confess to you. I, I kissed His Highness Patrick.”
“Gasp! Really?”
“Yes, on the terrace of Helios Hall. The rumors have probably spread to the back alleys of the capital by now. Ah, and that night, I spent it with him at the Arteum in Epi Street.”
“You, crazy, Carolina! That’s, so amazing.”
Carolina had made up her mind. She should have confessed to Julia first and recalled that moment together a hundred times.
From the cradle to playing house, their first menstruation as girls, and sneaking into Harchen’s room to rummage through his things. Julia had been with her through all those moments of their many seasons together.
But she couldn’t reveal her excitement while Julia was hurting from Harchen’s marriage.
Above all, she wasn’t certain about Patrick.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t talk about myself while you were suffering because of Harchen.”
Julia stepped closer to Carolina and hugged her tightly. Carolina felt genuinely sorry for Julia.
She was truly ashamed of avoiding answers whenever Julia had recently been probing into her innermost thoughts.
However, Julia had dipped one hand in malice, so even Carolina’s whimpering, tearful voice was irritating.
“So you spent the night with His Highness Patrick now, hmm?”
“No, it’s not like that.”
Knock knock knock.
Startled by the knocking sound, they both turned to look at the door.
“Your Highness. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is coming down to the main palace corridor.”
At the maid’s announcement, Carolina put on her lace gloves and said to Julia.
“Julia. Let’s talk tomorrow. I need your help.”
“Hmm, alright. I need your help too.”
Julia and Carolina held hands tightly with their lace gloves on as they descended the central staircase.
In the main palace corridor, the Empress Dowager, Isabella, Alesia, along with imperial advisors, chamberlains and attendants, the White Palace head maid and maids were all standing, watching the approaching carriage procession and the Emperor and knights on horseback passing through the metasequoia-lined avenue.
Julia went before the Empress Dowager, grabbed the hem of her dress, and curtsied slightly in greeting.
“Oh my, Julia. It’s been a while. Your face looks quite thin.”
Carolina stood next to Isabella, lifting her chin to examine the approaching entourage. She had been near the Botanic Garden close to Aster Palace when the honeymoon departure took place.
She had resolved to go to Aster Palace to see Patrick off under the pretext of wishing them a good trip, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. She had watched the carriages and horses pass by through the garden’s glass.
The Empress had ridden in the first carriage with her maid, and Patrick had ridden with the imperial physician. Patrick’s two knights rode brown horses at the very back.
“Here he comes, Harchen!”
Alesia went down the stairs towards the Emperor who was approaching at the front. Carolina confirmed that Patrick’s two knights were not among the mounted knights.
The doors of three carriages opened, and the Empress, her maids, servants, the court physician, and Bern disembarked.
‘What’s going on.’
Carolina kept her gaze distant, but not even the illusion of carriages and mounted knights could be seen anywhere along the metasequoia-lined avenue draped in greenery.
Julia bit the inside of her cheek as she glared at the Emperor personally opening the carriage door and taking the Empress’s hand.
The dimwitted Empress, dressed in pure white, looked up at the Emperor and smiled like an idiot.
‘Well, her body seems just fine.’
Julia felt the sensation of piercing hunter Billy’s rag doll with an arrowhead come alive at her fingertips. A clear and distinct killing intent.
Feeling Carolina’s gaze turn towards her, she approached and whispered softly.
“Carolina, His Highness Patrick is nowhere to be seen.”
“Y-yeah, that’s right.”
Even as he climbed the stone steps, the Emperor leaned towards the Empress, saying something. The Empress nodded, showing an attentive attitude to his words.
‘Well, she may be a dimwitted Empress, but the outward appearance makes for a picturesque couple.’
As they entered the shade of the corridor, the Empress Dowager softened her cold expression and smiled.
“We greet Her Majesty the Empress Dowager.”
“…Ah!”
Diana was so surprised that she forgot the greeting she had prepared in advance.
‘The Empress has changed. Especially her haughty gaze is different; she’s not an idiot.’
Patricia lifted her dress hem just enough, not excessively, and bent her upper body only as much as necessary to maintain an elegant pose. Unlike when she came from Tane, she was dignified.
‘On the outside, or rather, her body at least looks healthy, which is fortunate.’
She swallowed the words she had prepared inwardly. Drawn by the Empress’s dignity, she maintained the etiquette ingrained since birth.
“You must be tired from the long carriage journey. You’ve worked hard.”
Quickly noticing the Empress Dowager’s soft tone, Isabella glanced at her mother before speaking her greeting.
Carolina thought she should ask about Patrick before Alesia launched into a long-winded speech, but her lips only quivered.
“Your Majesty the Empress, you look even more beautiful… I heard you were hit by a white arrow shot by a Hun hunter? But there’s no visible wound. If it was the Hun’s poison arrow, it must have been made with datura purple…”
“Enough, little crow. Mother, we’ve greeted you, so we’ll go rest at Aster Palace now.”
“Of course, you must be exhausted.”
The Empress Dowager readily accepted. But the Empress looked back and forth between the Emperor and Empress Dowager, speaking in a calm tone.
“Your Majesty, since Her Majesty the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Princesses have come out to greet us, shouldn’t we make time for a cup of tea? I would like that.”
Hah, I was trying to make you comfortable because I thought you’d be uncomfortable.
Harchen raised the corner of his mouth, tapping the back of the Empress’s lace-gloved hand and making eye contact.
Whether oblivious or pretending not to understand, Patricia went to Carolina, the only princess who hadn’t greeted her, and nodded in greeting.
“Ah, this is Carolina, Your Majesty. Did you enjoy your journey?”
“Carol, you should be more careful with your questions. If you were hit by a poison arrow, would you enjoy it?”
Isabella said, linking arms with Carolina.
Carolina regretted not adding “with His Highness Patrick.” But why didn’t His Highness Patrick come along?
Thanks to Isabella’s warning glance, she couldn’t even voice that question.
Only after entering the reception room on the first floor of the main palace and taking a seat did Julia stand up again from the sofa and greet the Empress with proper etiquette.
“I greet Your Majesty the Empress, the rising morning sun. I am Julia, the princess of the Duke Leak family.”
“Ah, you are a beautiful person. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
After the Empress Dowager, Isabella was the next to notice the change in the Empress.
Isabella had spent some time with Patricia over refreshments before the royal wedding. She was halfhearted with the refreshments and the imperial noble ladies, and didn’t listen attentively. From the third time onwards, she even refused audiences with the young ladies.
Even at the banquet where she first met Julia, she had looked overwhelmed by Julia’s beauty.
Why wouldn’t she?
Julia had been famous among the empire’s notable beauties and modest young ladies since her girlhood.
They were surprised by her beauty that sparkled like obsidian, surprised by her crisp, refreshing voice, surprised by her obsession with Crown Prince Harchen.
Anyway, this Empress had returned changed in some way. She was certainly not the dimwitted Empress they had jokingly called her.
“I prepared a wedding gift for Your Majesty the Empress, but I couldn’t bring it today. May I request an audience?”
“I thank you in advance. I’ll see you at the audience.”
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead