“At this point, I’m starting to wonder if I might be cursed to attract the world’s scandals,” Mercedes said plainly. In the past, this would have been a question she would have blamed herself for and kept to herself.

However, her face was calm, and there was a hint of humor in her voice.

Carlos noticed this and laughed. “Hahaha. But curses don’t work on you. No scandal can shake you, who are wise beyond measure.”

At his words, Mercedes paused and lowered her eyes.

She wished they would only talk about work. No, it was ambiguous to call it work. She wished they would only talk about each other’s schemes. Then she could reach a peaceful state where she could even joke around…

Even the trivial praise he gave her stirred Mercedes’ heart.

She lowered her hands under the table, clasped them together as if in prayer, and replied, “…Thank you for believing in me.”

“You made me believe in you.”

“Thank you for seeing me that way.”

She tried to keep her voice as steady as possible, calmly replying as if nothing was wrong. In a stiff tone.

“Anyway, the Empress Dowager is really stirring up trouble over nothing. I’m sure she has other ideas in that cold, calculating mind of hers… It can’t just end with attaching a man to you.”

Carlos changed the subject while looking at Mercedes like that. She continued to look confused and complicated. He could push a little more, but he needed to let her sort out her thoughts to some extent.

Then, at some point, he would have to create an atmosphere where she could confess.

−That’s what he thought. But in reality, he didn’t like seeing Mercedes like that, so he changed the subject.

Mercedes, relieved that Carlos had changed the topic again, calmly nodded her head.

“You’re right. I think so too. But we can’t know for sure right now.”

“Alright. What should we do about the noble man the Empress Dowager will attach to you? Shall I assign a knight to you? It’s a secret, but I also have a shadow knight brigade. Fellows who are skilled at secretly following someone.”

“That sounds good. We need witnesses to make it usable against her.”

“That’s just like you. Are you going to fight the Empress Dowager head-on?”

“It might be an opportunity to tarnish the Empress Dowager’s reputation, right? It would be great if the noble man the Empress Dowager attaches to me does something to me and I become a victim. Of course, if that happens, I won’t be able to become a pure and flawless Empress… But I’m already a murderer. It’s too late for me to be flawless.”

She never hesitated to mention her status, he knew that.

Even using it seemed calm to her.

When did she become so strong, how much more would she learn and see far ahead? What would she be like in the future that would disappear?

Carlos looked at her resolute face and was struck by the urge to stroke her cheek.

Thinking that despite her firm expression, her cheeks would probably be soft, and wanting to touch them at least once.

* * *

The preparations for the coronation proceeded quickly and without problems. Carlos also agreed to a solemn coronation ceremony that was not flashy.

They had already shown a luxurious appearance at the ball. There was no need to do so at the coronation as well.

Mercedes went to the Empress Dowager’s palace whenever she was summoned to prepare for the coronation.

The Empress Dowager meticulously selected even the shape of the silver tableware to be used at the banquet to be held after the coronation.

She also personally selected the dress Mercedes would wear, choosing one that was modest and minimally decorated.

The dress had a slightly deep neckline, which was very neat and elegant and suited Mercedes well, but it looked somewhat empty.

“I will have jewelry custom-made for the empty-looking parts. Something that goes well with the color of your eyes.”

“Your Majesty…! I’m truly grateful. I’m so happy. Your Majesty, may I speak a presumptuous word?”

Having jewelry personally selected for her was truly moving. Mercedes smiled brightly and carefully gauged the Empress Dowager’s reaction.

The Empress Dowager, seemingly determined to act like a warm person, accepted Mercedes’ request and nodded kindly.

“I really like Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager…! Everyone else dislikes me, but Your Majesty treats me so kindly. I want to do something for you. I’m just an insignificant woman, but if there’s anything I can help with, please let me know!”

Saying things like ‘I like Your Majesty’ was not exactly proper etiquette.

There were also phrases like ‘I respect Your Majesty’ or ‘I admire Your Majesty’, but Mercedes deliberately chose those words. The Empress Dowager silently looked at Mercedes like that and smiled.

She was probably scoffing at her on the inside. Through their numerous meetings, Mercedes had realized it. That woman was endlessly aristocratic and despised commoners who didn’t know etiquette.

So she deliberately acted innocent and expressed fondness in a way that went against etiquette. The Empress’ side shouldn’t be wary of her, so she had to occasionally show a side that could be considered foolish.

‘…Really. To think she was once the Empress of a nation.’

Yet Mercedes felt a bit strange. The Empress despising commoners.

Well, although she had dominated high society, she was not an Empress beloved by the people, according to Mrs. Fisher.

Mercedes could guess why the late Emperor, who had gained the people’s support through his relatively good governance, had forcibly appointed Carlos as Emperor despite him not being the legitimate prince.

How arrogant must the sons raised under such an Empress have been?

Carlos had physical strength, so he could win even if he fought against the other arrogant successors.

Having seen the lives of commoners with his own eyes while traversing battlefields, he would have been seen as a much more suitable person to govern compared to the other successors. So Carlos was the successor to whom the late Emperor could entrust the nation and close his eyes in peace.

“Today, I brought the Viscount who will be your escort for the coronation. You should meet him.”

The Viscount, the son of a Count…

‘As expected, she’s attaching a young man.’

It was a bit strange that the Empress Dowager’s scheme was so trivial, but Mercedes smoothed her skirt and looked towards the door.

To properly stand up and politely greet the person entering.

“Bella, show Viscount Liberty in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Liberty?

‘I’ve never heard of him.’

Mercedes had persistently asked Mrs. Fisher and Leopold about important nobles and roughly committed the information to memory.

Since the empire was large, she couldn’t memorize the entire noble registry, so she used this method.

Among those Mrs. Fisher had told her she must memorize, there was no family named Liberty.

Soon the door opened.

“Greetings, Viscount Liberty. I am Mercedes.”

Mercedes immediately stood up and politely greeted him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Mercedes.”

A gentle-looking handsome man stood before her. His downturned eyes curved as he smiled, seeming capable of touching the hearts of many women.

‘The complete opposite of Carlos.’

His impression was the exact opposite of Carlos, a cold and intense handsome man. If they stood side by side, wouldn’t they feel like different species? Mercedes once again thought of Carlos without realizing it.

The moment she became aware of her state, she quickly pushed the thoughts away.

“Thank you for coming here. To go out of your way to help with my personal matter… I’m truly grateful.”

Mercedes bowed her head repeatedly.

“Lady Mercedes, you are very beautiful.”

The Viscount praised her in a voice as sweet as if he had honey on his lips. Mercedes made an ‘oh my’ sound and pretended to be embarrassed.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Then she deliberately laughed more innocently.

The atmosphere was strange. The Viscount with a smooth face, hiding his inner thoughts, and the Empress Dowager looking at them with satisfaction.

Anyone seeing it might think she was trying to match them as a couple.

Anyway, Mercedes said what she had to say.

“I look forward to working with you, Viscount.”

“The pleasure is mine, Lady Mercedes.”

Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager had other thoughts.

Mercedes might seem innocent, but she wasn’t a complete fool, so no matter how sweetly the Viscount tempted her, she wouldn’t take her eyes off the Emperor.

So even though she summoned the Viscount, she didn’t really expect success.

Still, the reason she called him was because of his womanizing nature. Didn’t all sorts of women melt like honey before him?

The Empress Dowager, who grew up aristocratically without knowing Mercedes’ past, made arbitrary assumptions about her past.

She thought this must be the hardest time for her, having to bear all sorts of rumors by the Emperor’s side after nearly dying with the stigma of being a murderer.

She arbitrarily assumed her hardships like that.

She had also heard that many people in the palace disliked Mercedes.

Perhaps the Viscount could enter through the cracks of such a struggling heart and leave some traces. She called him with just that thought.

For example, he could hand her a handkerchief and wipe away her tears as she opened up to him− or he could create an unsightly scene under the pretext of being an escort.

The Viscount was quite perceptive and knew what the Empress Dowager wanted.

He strode over to Mercedes and asked for her hand.

Mercedes placed her hand on top of his. The Viscount’s lips touched the back of Mercedes’ hand a bit heavily before parting.

Mercedes smiled, trying hard to ignore the creeping chills.

The Empress Dowager quietly watched the two of them.

It was a matter of indifference whether it succeeded or not.

Well, she also wanted to divert the Emperor’s attention from what she was really trying to do.

In the Empress Dowager’s drawing room, where various thoughts floated around.

Mercedes had to observe both of them while smiling. She moved her eyes to the point of doing eye exercises, making her head ache a bit.

Unfortunately, both of their expressions were indifferent, so she didn’t find out much.

But she thought she should investigate Viscount Liberty when she returned to Carlos.