The empress dowager and the count looked at Mercedes with strange expressions.

Mercedes felt like she was lacking oxygen. All kinds of air pressed down on her.

Her rapidly beating heart, the trauma from the abuse she suffered up until just half a year ago, came rushing back, making her whole body go numb. It was tough enough just managing her expression while forcibly suppressing it all.

“Actually, I haven’t checked my health condition recently… I came here worried that I might somehow cause trouble for His Majesty the Emperor. Her Majesty the Empress made some mistakes when she was the crown princess…”

“What kind of mistakes?”

“It’s nothing much. Just some private matters between a married couple. I blame myself, thinking it happened because I raised Her Majesty the Empress too preciously since she was young.”

That I made mistakes. That he raised me preciously.

This wasn’t the first time she heard such lies. The count always presented Mercedes to others as a child he had raised preciously.

But perhaps because it had been a while, Mercedes was momentarily dazed.

“Oh my. I had already heard the story about raising her preciously, but… Anyone is bound to make mistakes.”

“Yes, your words are reasonable. It’s just that there was a past where her relationship with the late crown prince became strained because of that mistake… Since coming here, I’ve been losing sleep worrying every night about whether she’s been handling things well.”

Before Carlos could defend her or Mercedes could open her mouth, the count and empress dowager rapidly continued the conversation as if reciting prepared lines.

On the surface, it was a conversation focused on ‘worry’, but if you dug deeper, it was closer to saying ‘Mercedes is not a wise fit for empress’.

Soon after, the count sighed and put down his utensils. As if he had lost his appetite, he bowed his head to the emperor with a guilty expression.

“The empress has been adapting very well since coming here. There’s no need to worry, Count.”

The empress dowager even took Mercedes’ side in the midst of it all.

It was a mystery as to what had transpired between the two for this kind of strangely flawless conversation to take place.

So Carlos decided to listen more and figure out their scheme.

Mercedes also thought that’s what needed to be done.

However, it was difficult. Restraining her emotions did not come easily. Up until now, she had been able to think rationally from afar and obstruct the count, but now the count was right in front of her eyes.

Every single word he uttered stabbed daggers into her heart. Just like old times. Naturally, it was hard to come to her senses.

“Really…! That’s a relief. Sigh. My worries are actually something I brought upon myself. Her Majesty the Empress is more beautiful than anyone else, and because she’s my youngest daughter, I raised her too preciously…”

The count continued speaking as if intoxicated by his own emotions, like he was the protagonist of a play.

“No matter what banquet she attended, there were many instances where she thought she was the main character. I tried to discipline and control her somehow, but it was insufficient. That unfortunate incident… also occurred that way. As her father, I believe it was a false charge, but… Perhaps because she didn’t win over people’s hearts, no one would believe her. It was truly a shame.”

The count spoke with a face of genuine concern.

“If she hasn’t caused trouble for the empire, that is fortunate. If Her Majesty the Empress makes a mistake, please punish me.”

The count bowed his head with perfect etiquette. Anyone would see it as a father worried for his daughter.

It was a face she had never seen before in her life. Not once had he ever shown such concern for her. Mercedes carefully put down her utensils and lowered her hands below the table. And she clenched her fists tightly.

‘I… think I’m the main character wherever I go?’

Aside from her debut, the only banquets she attended in Shaim were always in the capacity of the crown princess. But listening to that man’s words, doesn’t it sound like she was an arrogant flower of Shaim’s social circles who attended every banquet?

Slowly, from the inside out, emotions spread through Mercedes like paint.

The count was speaking as if she was a spoiled, unruly daughter who did whatever she wanted. At this banquet. At this important imperial banquet… He was insulting her like this.

Even though her father had fallen this low, was he trying to threaten and intimidate her again to gain something?

Did he really not see her as a human being?

Just what intentions did he have to go this far with his words?

“It’s very admirable that the count is worried not only for the empress but even the empire. It’s a good sight to see.”

Mercedes forcibly lifted the corners of her mouth and interjected into the conversation.

“That… mistake of mine back then was truly a foolish thing. I reflected a lot after that. As a result, I was able to live even more faithfully here. Don’t worry, Father. I have changed a lot.”

And she actively agreed with the count’s words.

She still couldn’t reveal her true colors in front of the empress dowager. She couldn’t do anything to the count right away either. No matter what she prepared, it was better to first make the other party let their guard down.

So she innocently acted like a slightly foolish daughter who listened well to her father’s words.

Right. That’s what she had to do. However, doing such things made her insides burn black. She thought she had managed to swallow it down earlier, but responding to the count’s censure, a headache started coming on as if it was a natural reaction.

Count Cromwell faced her with a smile.

“Is that so? Then that’s a relief. I know what I said was rude to Her Majesty the Empress, but please understand that it’s out of a father’s concern. Because even unintended mistakes tend to make things bigger.”

“Oh my. Of course it’s fine to say it since it’s worry between family. At a family meal, it’s only natural for intimate conversations to occur. This banquet is really heartwarming and puts me in a good mood. Don’t you agree, Your Majesty?”

The empress dowager smiled brightly.

Carlos, expression tightly controlled, nodded his head.

“That’s right. I should express my gratitude to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager for creating such a good time.”

“What has this old woman done? I merely looked after the familial bond that the empress couldn’t tend to while preoccupied, that’s all.”

Familial bond.

It was a word that had been slightly emphasized from earlier. Carlos thought the empress dowager might be considering using familial bonds to trip up Mercedes and bring her down.

“Hoho. I’ve said many rude things from the first meal. But… I wanted to say it since I met you after a long time.”

“…Yes. Father.”

“By the way, my daughter Flora was very close with Her Majesty the Empress. She’s a warm-hearted and virtuous child who cherishes my younger sibling very much.”

And in that moment. From the words abruptly added on in an awkward manner, the count’s intentions were revealed.

‘He’s… crazy.’

Mercedes was engulfed in a feeling as if someone had hit her head hard.

Belittling herself and presenting his biological daughter to the emperor. Wasn’t his intention too clear?

Flora smiled shyly. Although not as beautiful as Mercedes, she was a lovely and adorable young lady with a warm impression like spring sunshine.

“Oh Father, please. What have I done? I’m just so happy to see Mercedes- ah no, Her Majesty the Empress again.”

That detestable face she always made.

The count who pretended to deflect the arrows onto himself while subtly insulting her. The empress dowager who went along with it.

Mercedes drank her wine and lowered her hands below the table. Her fists clenched on their own. Her nails dug into her flesh. It should hurt to be normal, but it didn’t even hurt.

She just thought it would be good if it helped her come to her senses.

“It would be nice if my daughter Flora could be by Her Majesty the Empress’ side. The two are very close, and since Flora is wise, I think she’ll be able to assist Her Majesty the Empress well if she makes a mistake.”

It wasn’t even funny. In reality, it was Flora who caused trouble and Mercedes who took care of it as the crown princess.

Well. It wasn’t the first time she heard this either.

On the day she first went out into high society, he had even fawned over an old man of power getting married for the third time, saying, ‘I raised the child too well that she became arrogant, so she needs someone to teach her properly.’

Thinking the only place to send Mercedes was to be the second wife of someone old, rich and powerful.

Then the other party would look Mercedes over as if appraising her and answer, ‘I can teach her well.’

If Elmond hadn’t fallen for her that day, her life would have ended up that way, caught in the hands of an old man. Looking back… would that have been better?

No.

She hated everything. Both being dragged away caught in the hands of an old man and being the crown princess. It was a position she never wished for or wanted to be.

Something started blooming in the heart of her who had recently lost her will to live and let go of life.

Her father who tried to sell her for his own large profit. Her father who even now sat in front of her, slandering and pressuring her in a refined tone.

The gazes of the count’s family who glared at her. The eyes that looked down on her thinking she was a lowly being were still the same, easy to read.

Because she had received it all her life.

Something boiled up from within her heart. Was it the will to live? Was it the anger that resurfaced because her nemesis was in front of her and the goal of revenge she wanted to achieve?

“If the sisters are close, they’re welcome any time. It’s not a bad idea. Your Majesty, what do you think?”

“…The palace is still a bit chaotic. Let’s discuss that later.”

It seemed Carlos also thought it was time to turn them away. He was rejecting their suggestion in a roundabout way.

‘The count and empress dowager can sufficiently shake up high society.’

Mercedes thought to herself. How turbulent had it been since coming here to establish herself?

It was unfair. She resented God so much, if such a being existed. Why was she born with this fate?

Just as her nails seemed about to draw blood from digging into her skin like that…

‘…!’

A hot sensation touched her hand. A large, firm hand removed her fingers one by one that she had been using to inflict wounds on herself. And then it held her hand.

Mercedes looked to the side in surprise, but Carlos did not look at her.

Only a hot sensation was conveyed between their palms.

That was… like…

Cheering her on.

Was it because of the heat? The disgust that had barely been swallowed down and was rising again seemed to settle once more. She became a little calmer and could look around.

The count pouring out censure disguised as worry while continuously putting Flora forward, the empress dowager who praised the count saying it was a good sight.

Her crazy elder brother who was still woman-crazy, smirking as he looked her over. The count’s wife who was slightly backing him up beside him, contributing to the insults toward her.

‘These… were my enemies.’

The people she had wanted to give even a tenth of the pain she suffered, even if it meant losing her life.

Her mind cleared with a flash.