The next day.

Even as she was dragged away by the guards, Sesenia’s body did not return to normal. Elzer had paralyzed her entire body, leaving her unable to speak properly.

Thus, she was seated on the execution platform.

“Sesenia Vestel. As the Empress of a nation, you abused Elzer, who carried the Emperor’s seed, and even attempted to kill the Emperor’s child, the prince. You have come here to be executed. Do you agree?”

“…….”

“No answer? If you do not respond, I’ll take it as an agreement.”

“….No.”

Barely, Sesenia’s lips moved. It was as if her will not to die without speaking was reflected in that movement. Although her lips were numb and it took immense effort to move them, this was enough.

“No?”

That was all the resistance Sesenia could muster. She glared at her sister Elzer, who was holding a baby in her arms. Elzer looked surprised to see Sesenia speak but then shook her head, indicating it was too late for Sesenia to do anything now.

The Emperor wrapped his arm around Elzer in a protective manner, and Ian stood a step behind, grinning with pleasure.

“Yes. I do not agree.”

But the more Sesenia spoke, the more the crowd reacted unfavorably.

“How can she be so shameless? She tried to kill the prince. Her own sister, too.”

“Unbelievable. She’s not human; she’s a devil.”

Ignoring the voices condemning her, Sesenia raised her own voice.

“How is it not a crime for the Emperor of a nation to have an affair with the Empress’s sister? Was it wrong for me, her sister, to send her to the north instead of killing her? I didn’t know she was pregnant or that she had a child. If I had known… if I had known…!”

Would anything have changed?

Sesenia started to say something else but lost her energy.

“What would have been different if you had known?”

The Emperor asked Sesenia.

Biting her lip, Sesenia didn’t know how to respond.

‘What would have changed, indeed.’

But she didn’t want to be victimized without saying anything. She wanted to sow doubt in their minds. Even if she died here and they found happiness, she hoped they would someday doubt and suspect each other.

“Even though you won’t listen, I still need to speak. No matter how much it pricks your conscience, Elzer, my sister, even used poison to shut me up yesterday.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

Sesenia knew it wouldn’t help.

“Everything is a lie they made up.”

Yet, she had to speak. Defending herself was her own responsibility.

“Nonsense.”

Finally, Sesenia realized. Seeing the Emperor’s unshakable demeanor and his lack of response to anything other than her claim of being poisoned, she understood.

“Nonsense, huh… But now I see, you knew too.”

“Knew what?”

“That my sister had a child. That I did nothing. Your words, ‘What would have changed if you had known,’ prove that you, the Emperor, knew everything.”

Observing his behavior, Sesenia felt it now. She was the only one who had been oblivious. Everyone else had known all along.
“I know you won’t listen to whatever I say. But do you know? Even you, the Emperor, and everyone else seem strange. It feels like you all are in a rush to cover everything up. Being executed like this without even a trial, despite being the Empress… And even though Elzer, my sister, testified that she poisoned me, you’re just trying to brush it off… Doesn’t it seem too suspicious? As if you’re trying to kill me off quickly?”

Sesenia shouted towards those who were vehemently denouncing her.

“If not, if there’s really nothing, then give me a trial. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

The atmosphere shifted noticeably. No matter the crime, she was the Empress.

The crowd began to waver like reeds in the wind, their reactions unusually swift. Even if the Empress’s crime was conclusive, executing her without a trial was unprecedented.

Realizing this late, the onlookers murmured among themselves.

In an attempt to quell the situation, the Emperor hastily spoke.

“What a ridiculous statement.”

“Rather, isn’t it suspicious that you’re trying to execute me without a trial? The Emperor, Elzer my sister, everyone is trying to silence me because they have something to hide, right?”

The murmurs among the crowd grew louder.

“I might have already been condemned by those who decided to kill me, and there might be nothing I can do… But I still want you all to know… they’re killing me based on lies.”

She had given up on everything.

They weren’t killing her out of ignorance, but to suit their own purposes. Realizing this, she knew there was nothing more she could change.

“And be careful. Honestly… you don’t know if that child is truly the Emperor’s. Isn’t the Prince, who betrayed me to side with my sister, suspicious too? Even if he’s royalty… might not he be someone else’s child?”

Sesenia smirked as she looked at him.

“What, what kind of crazy talk is this…!”

“Don’t insult my pure love!!”

Predictably, Ian angrily blustered.

“Whether it’s a pure love or a child begotten by tailing after one man and another… who knows?”

Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me

One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.

Synopsis:

Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.

But this is still far from enough.

He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.

_____

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