I Possessed the Wicked Empress (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 10
“My older sister, who was two years my senior and grew up with me in the same village, entered the Empress’s palace as a handmaiden and returned as a corpse. She came back covered head to toe in horrifying bruises, and people… said it was evidence that Her Majesty the Empress had been experimenting with curses.”
Helen’s statement was very likely true.
After all, her secret diary was densely filled with entries describing actual curse experiments performed on maidservants.
“At first, I was truly terrified of Her Majesty the Empress, but as I kept staying with her, she seemed different from what people claimed. Like how she saved the baby today—and just now, how she saved me as well.”
Since Helen had spent the shortest time with Ermedilin, her impression of the Empress seemed to have changed quite rapidly.
Runi, who had received direct help, dropped her guard that very day, whereas Margo was still treating Ermedilin with caution.
“I have no intention whatsoever of scolding or killing you. Nor do I plan to curse you. So lift your head.”
At Ermedilin’s words, Helen slightly raised her head and peeked up at her.
Though thin, her freckled face still held traces of baby fat in her cheeks, making her quite endearing.
Although Helen’s identity as a spy had been exposed, Ermedilin did not wish for the young girl to be punished for this matter.
Without even realizing it, Ermedilin gently stroked Helen’s red hair a few times.
“Thank you—for telling me honestly. It must have been frightening.”
“No, no! I’ve truly committed an unforgivable sin. I’m so sorry.”
“You don’t need to keep apologizing. If you really feel remorseful, just tell me what you’ve done as Duke François’s spy all this time.”
“I only passed along a few words. And… and I received this.”
“??”
What Helen pulled from her bosom was a small glass vial filled with red liquid.
“He told me to use this to enter the cellar and retrieve Her Majesty the Empress’s diary.”
“And then?”
“I tried, but it wouldn’t open.”
‘So blood alone isn’t enough. Fortunately, this woman isn’t completely foolish.’
“So what did you do then?”
“When I informed the Duke, he said he’d enter himself.”
“Himself?”
“He originally said he’d come while Her Majesty was in the audience chamber…”
“And then?”
“Runi stopped him! She physically blocked the door, saying Her Majesty wasn’t present and that he should come back another time!!”
“Hoo…”
Ermedilin’s diary contained not only evidence of all sorts of misdeeds but also a list of clients who could serve as excellent shields later on.
It was something she absolutely could not afford to lose, and she now realized she’d been far too lax with security.
“That’s fortunate. Truly fortunate. I owe Runi my thanks.”
“Yes. Thankfully, Margo immediately called the guards—if she hadn’t, His Grace really would have intruded into Her Majesty’s bedchamber.”
“Wait. You called the guards? There were no guards stationed outside my room?”
She needed to strengthen security herself, but it simply made no sense that a room belonging to the Empress had no guards at all.
At Ermedilin’s question, Helen fidgeted anxiously, her eyes darting around restlessly.
“Helen. The guards are paid to work in the imperial palace. If they’ve neglected their duties, I naturally need to know. It’s not something you can hide and expect me to overlook.”
Ermedilin deliberately spoke in a firm, cold tone.
“Ahh… umm… well… it’s just that… only occasionally, when Her Majesty isn’t present…”
Hearing Helen’s stammering reply, Ermedilin realized pressing her further would yield little benefit.
“Fine. I understand. Guard this room and ensure no one enters without my permission. In that case, I’ll let your past actions slide.”
“Yes, yes! Understood! I’ll make sure no one gets in or out!!”
Though Helen’s desperate reply reassured her somewhat, Ermedilin still felt uneasy.
How dare someone attempt to intrude into the Empress’s bedchamber—was that even conceivable?
Deciding this matter shouldn’t be ignored, Ermedilin quickened her steps toward Henri.
“What is it?”
Henri, who had been working with the chief steward, merely cast a sidelong glance upon hearing the Empress had arrived, showing no other reaction.
“It concerns my security detail.”
“Security? What’s wrong with the Empress’s palace guards?”
“While I was in the audience chamber today, Duke François apparently tried to intrude into my bedchamber.”
“Your father, you mean?”
“Yes. My maids barely managed to stop him.”
“Maids? What were the guards doing?”
“That’s precisely why I came. There were no guards stationed outside my room.”
“Huh?”
Henri set down his pen on the desk with a loud clatter and gave a derisive snort.
“How odd. The palace guards’ salaries are paid punctually, yet no one’s actually working.”
After briefly scowling in irritation, Henri whispered something to Count Halstein, the chief steward beside him, then rose from his seat and approached Ermedilin.
“You must have been startled.”
His voice carried none of its usual mockery.
His beautiful blue eyes, devoid of malice yet filled with innate dignity, made Ermedilin unconsciously shrink back.
“It’s less that I was startled and more that maintaining order within the palace is part of the Empress’s duty.”
“I see. I certainly won’t let this matter slide. For now, return to your quarters.”
After Ermedilin left, Valière arrived at Henri’s office.
She must have run straight there upon the steward’s summons—her breath was completely winded.
“You seem busy these days.”
“Huh?”
“I truly believed you were unwell. After all, you refused even that earnest request for us to share chambers.”
“What do you mean…?”
“I was willing to overlook your surveillance of the Empress. But dismissing the palace guards was going too far.”
“Wh-what are you saying?”
“I know you’ve been exchanging letters with Duke François.”
Henri’s icy blue gaze froze Valière in place.
“Th-that was only to gather information about Her Majesty…”
“Yes. That’s why I’ve turned a blind eye to most things. But no matter who you are, you can’t recklessly undermine palace discipline. Do you really think it’s acceptable for a mere consort to dismiss the guards assigned to protect the Empress’s bedchamber?”
It was always like this.
He’d act as if he’d give you the world—gentle and affectionate—then suddenly press down hard to remind you of your place.
A consort is a consort, and an Empress is an Empress, he’d said.
If you want to be treated like an Empress, you must become one, he’d also said.
Thus, Valière had been striving to collect evidence of Ermedilin’s misdeeds—clear to the eye yet elusive to grasp.
She’d spent money, time, and effort gathering proof to depose the Empress.
Yet Henri—the very one who’d spoken those words—did nothing.
He could easily clear up suspicions about the Empress himself, yet never took the initiative to investigate anything.
He merely watched quietly, and only when someone crossed a line would he summon them and press down just enough to remind them of their place.
Half-resigned, Valière bowed deeply, her face bright with a radiant smile.
“My judgment was short-sighted. Duke François claimed he needed his own blood to gather evidence, so without thinking, I granted his unreasonable request. I am deeply ashamed.”
When he intends to suppress you, never resist.
If you submit just enough to his wishes, he’ll quickly lighten his mood—but if you so much as twitch, he’ll crush you utterly.
That was Henri’s way, having lived his entire life assured of his position as master of the great empire of Trivian.
“Heh.”
Seeing Valière immediately and obediently admit her fault, Henri gave a faint, satisfied smile.
“There’s no need for shame. I simply hope your health recovers swiftly.”
With a dazzling smile that could enchant anyone—man, woman, young, or old—Henri escorted Valière out of his office.
Valière, relieved she’d gotten off safely, wore a submissive smile of her own.
But the moment she turned the corridor and entered her own room, Valière’s face hardened into stone.
I’m in a foul mood. Damn it.”
A curse to kill an unborn child—specifically, one whose birth was imminent.
She wanted to leap up and demand what kind of monster would treat people like this, but Ermedilin sent Countess Elion away under the pretense of needing purification.
‘Ah, seriously… She wouldn’t just kill the child outright, would she? It’s almost time for delivery… What kind of person would actually accept money to do something like that? Huh?’
A wave of self-loathing washed over her. Ermedilin glared furiously at her own reflection—elegantly beautiful in the mirror.
‘Are you even sane? You’re the Empress! No matter how desperate for money you might be, would you really use curses for payment? Honestly, even I think you deserve to die for that. You truly do… So why on earth did I have to possess you of all people… Aaagh!! So frustrating!!’
From the deepest recesses of her soul, hatred for the original owner of this body surged up like a relentless tide.
‘Will I really be able to survive this? Even though the story hasn’t properly begun yet, just what’s written in that diary alone is enough to warrant execution several times over… Can I really survive?’
For a moment, she wondered if she’d been too rash in moving to attack her own father.
‘If my birth family falls, won’t I be purged in one stroke too? Ah… I only wanted to save that child! Could I really be punished just because I failed to save them? But I died too! I truly wanted to save them, but it was beyond my ability—do I really deserve punishment for that as well?’
Ermedilin felt utterly wronged and wretched.
Not only had she died on the very day her seven-year-long lover abandoned her, but now she was stuck in this absolute nightmare.
But this time, she wouldn’t die pointlessly.
She’d been granted a stunning appearance and noble status—she refused to die for crimes she never committed.
Ermedilin stared resolutely at her diary.
She pricked her finger to draw a drop of blood, opened the diary, and wrote down the names of Countess Elion, the marquis who’d requested the curse, and his daughter, all of whom had visited her today.
‘I don’t know why the original story never used this list to the end, but I’m not her. Even if I die, I won’t go alone. I don’t have a single ally anyway! I must use everything I can!’
The next morning, as soon as dawn broke, Pelio arrived.
“The lawsuit preparations are complete. You provided such detailed notes that all I needed was to locate witnesses willing to testify—it was finished quickly.”
“I see. Thank you. I don’t have any money on hand right now, but once I recover my debts, I will certainly pay your fee…”
“No need.”
Pelio cut off Ermedilin’s words with a tone as sharp as a blade.
“No need? Wh-what do you mean?”
For a moment, Ermedilin’s heart shrank to the size of a bean, terrified Pelio might say, “After Duke François, it’s your turn.”
“That baby survived thanks to Your Majesty, did they not? I’ll accept the child’s life as payment for my services.”
“No, I didn’t save the child expecting anything in return. I will pay your fee without fail.”
Pelio rolled his eyes slightly at Ermedilin’s reply but soon nodded.
“Then as you wish. And, Your Majesty.”
“Yes?”
“How did you know the plague could spread through bodily fluids?”
Pelio stared intently at Ermedilin with his clear, silvery eyes, his chin tilted slightly downward, clearly determined to hear a satisfactory answer.
“What? You think since I spread the plague, I must also know how secondary infections occur? Is that what you want to say?”
Ermedilin chose a direct approach—she’d always hated beating around the bush.
Though struck right at the core, Pelio showed no sign of fluster.
“That’s about half correct.”
“Half?”
“Yes. After I advised people to avoid contact with bodily fluids, infection rates dropped. If Your Majesty truly wanted to plunge the capital into chaos, you wouldn’t have willingly revealed a method to prevent the spread, would you?”
“And the other half?”
“But the situation now is different from usual. Isn’t this precisely the moment you’re preparing to strike at your birth family—the very source of your greatest power? It might be wise to swiftly eliminate anything that could become a weakness for you.”
“I see.”
Ermedilin fiddled with the lawsuit document Pelio had prepared—just as meticulously organized as his personality—and her lips twitched.
“Believe what you wish to believe. You won’t believe me no matter what I say, will you?”
Ex-husband Wants Reconciliation
One-line summary: Chasing the wife to the crematorium (making an effort to attract someone who has become indifferent), the female lead doesn’t look back, the second male lead takes the position.
Intro:
To repay the kindness of the older generation, Su Mu crossed into a female-dominated world and became a live-in daughter-in-law of the Yan family, single-handedly saving the Yan family from fire and water.
But her husband, Yan Jiyue, the eldest son of the Yan family, treated her with sarcasm and never showed her a good face.
It wasn’t until after Su Mu’s death that this pampered and arrogant young master shed a few fake tears and pretended to want to die for love.
This life’s kindness was enough. If there was a next life, she would definitely kick Yan Jiyue away.
Who knew that the heavens would be so kind as to allow her to be reborn, returning to the time when she had just married into the Yan family.
Su Mu glanced at the Yan eldest son, who still spoke coldly to her, and threw a divorce letter in front of him.
“Let’s divorce!”
***
Yan Jiyue never imagined that he would be reborn. He happily went to find Su Mu, wanting to make up for the mistakes he had made in his ignorant youth.
Wasn’t the reason the heavens allowed him to be reborn to let him reconcile with Su Mu?
But when he pushed open the door to Su Mu’s room, the person lying on the bed was another man.
Su Mu’s personal attendant, Xie Yi.
Yan Jiyue hated him so much that his teeth itched. In front of Su Mu, Xie Yi was a gentle and considerate whisperer of sweet nothings, but in reality, he was vicious-hearted and deliberately sabotaged their husband and wife relationship.
In the previous life, it was he who secretly hid in Su Mu’s coffin and committed suicide, stealing a step ahead of him to be buried with Su Mu.
Yan Jiyue’s eyes were filled with hatred as he cursed, “What kind of thing are you? Your background is lowly, what right do you have to occupy Su Mu?”
Xie Yi looked at the sleeping Su Mu and no longer pretended to be a whisperer of sweet nothings.
He proudly stuck out his belly, “I have the right because my belly is capable of giving the Wife-master a daughter.”
***
Yan Jiyue was consumed with jealousy. He spread rumors that Xie Yi had once been branded with the mark of a “harlot” on his chest.
But on the night Xie Yi cut off the flesh bearing that mark, Su Mu suddenly realized something was amiss.
“How did you know the exact moment I was poisoned? And why did you show up a month early?”
Xie Yi remained silent, blood from his wound soaking through his robes. His sapphire eyes brimmed with anguish – or was it just a flawless act?
Between a once-arrogant husband now seeking redemption, and a gentle soul willing to die for her – who truly held the darkest secrets? And could it be that Su Mu and Yan Jiyue weren’t the only ones given a second chance at life…?
[Reading Guide]
1. True divorce, chasing the wife to the crematorium, the female lead doesn’t look back, the male lead is Xie Yi.
2. The ex-husband did not cheat, he just realized too late and didn’t realize that he liked the female lead.
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Wait what the hell. I lowkey hate henri but i feel bad for her to have to suffer with a loser like him omgn