I Will Live for Your Death (20 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 2
“No matter how I think about it, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor is being utterly unreasonable.”
The bedroom was moderately dim—just bright enough to distinguish whether someone nearby was a stranger or a maid.
Ilyd stood under the suitable lighting, receiving Lynette’s bustling ministrations.
The soft touch of her nightgown slipped down Ilyd’s body.
Though it was a task normally handled by maids, Lynette seemed genuinely upset by what had happened today, so she deliberately took charge of Ilyd’s evening routine whenever such incidents occurred.
Understanding exactly how Lynette felt, Ilyd chose to quietly listen to her complaints—but one always had to be cautious about words spoken in the palace. She gently cautioned her.
“Lynette. There are too many ears around.”
“Isn’t it just Her Imperial Majesty the Empress and me here? I’ll speak plainly. Strictly speaking, shouldn’t Celina be living as quietly as a mouse within the Imperial Household? Of all places, this is the Empress’s own quarters! If she’s a ‘shadow,’ then she ought to behave like one… I can’t fathom what arrogance makes her act so brazenly.”
Lynette, as head maid, was clearly furious—the crease between her brows, illuminated by the light, was deeply furrowed. Ilyd observed the deep lines on Lynette’s forehead and gave a bitter smile.
In truth, her grievances probably ran deeper toward Claudius than toward Celina, but given her position as a maid, she could hardly openly disparage the Emperor.
A heavily suppressed sigh escaped from Lynette’s lips.
Undoubtedly, overseeing the entire Empress’s quarters made her especially sensitive to such issues.
In the palace, there were always those who made messes—and others assigned to clean them up.
And those who created the messes rarely, if ever, considered the effort and trouble it caused the cleaners.
Just today, the Emperor and Celina had deliberately come to the Empress’s quarters, occupied a room, and left it in complete disarray. Because of them, Lynette had been forced to waste unnecessary manpower and time.
It had already been tidied and thoroughly cleaned that very morning!
She’d scolded the guards stationed outside the Empress’s quarters, but what fault did they truly have? How could anyone possibly stop His Imperial Majesty the Emperor from arriving with his beloved consort?
All this turmoil weighed heavily on Lynette. If she failed to properly manage the Empress’s quarters, it would reflect poorly on Ilyd herself.
Already, the glances cast toward Ilyd were filled only with pity and subtle disdain—if even the Empress’s quarters appeared disorderly, what then?
Rumors that the Emperor favored Celina exclusively, causing the Empress’s authority to steadily decline, were more than enough to make Lynette anxious. If she could, she’d track down the source of these rumors right now and thrash them until dust flew even on a rainy day.
Lynette tried to let out a deep sigh but merely moistened her lips in silence. Of all people, the Empress herself must be the most frustrated and heartbroken in this situation.
Counting from the Melphiram estate all the way to the imperial palace, Lynette had been by Ilyd’s side for nearly twenty years. By now, she could discern Ilyd’s desires or unspoken words just from the briefest flicker of expression.
How deeply must Ilyd be suffering inside? Knowing she couldn’t possibly sigh openly in front of her, Lynette composed herself and spoke in a bright tone.
“Your Majesty. Shall I brush your hair?”
The comb moved smoothly, repeatedly gliding from bottom to top without snagging. Between the faint lamplight, Ilyd’s silvery-white hair shimmered.
Lynette remembered Ilyd and Claudius at the coronation—the golden hair, dazzling and resplendent, had been perfectly complemented by Ilyd’s silver. Standing side by side, they truly appeared a well-matched pair.
Though their union reeked of political calculation, their marriage had held together reasonably well.
At least, until that day…
Lynette’s careful brushing had already come to a halt. She stared blankly at the comb resting atop Ilyd’s silvery waves.
Noticing the sudden stillness, Ilyd called Lynette’s name, puzzled.
“Lynette?”
“Oh—ah, I’m sorry. My mind wandered off for a moment…”
Ilyd gave a light laugh and patted Lynette’s hand, which was still holding the comb.
“Thank you, Lynette.”
“It’s just part of my usual duties.”
“The room you cleaned thoroughly since this morning was completely ransacked. You must have had to redo everything—from the bed sheets to the floor.”
So she knew after all. Lynette’s nose stung anew with emotion.
Ilyd understood not only the maids but also the hardships faced by even the lowliest servants. She always insisted that managing and supervising the maids was part of the Empress’s responsibilities and never failed to receive detailed reports.
Because of this, the Empress’s quarters had earned a reputation within the palace as both demanding and the most comfortable place to work—a place where, despite identical wages, serving under the gentle Empress eased both body and mind.
“We could simply overlook it, but lately that woman’s arrogance has grown unbearable. If he truly favors her, why not formally elevate her as Empress Consort instead of keeping her as a ‘shadow’?”
“Oh.”
Ilyd had forgotten something crucial: why hadn’t Claudius officially appointed Celina as Empress Consort?
The Diobe family wasn’t overflowing with wealth. Rumor had it they were on the verge of ruin due to debts, and only after Celina became the Emperor’s ‘shadow’ did their situation slightly improve.
If Claudius truly cherished her, making her Empress Consort would have been far preferable to keeping her as a mere ‘shadow.’ Was he hesitating? Or did he have other plans?
“I’ve even heard that the maids attending Celina nowadays don’t know how to bow their heads. If she becomes Empress Consort, Your Majesty would surely oversee those girls as well…”
“Do I look like I’d devour Miss Celina?”
“Of course not! Though… because of her, Viscount Diobe has moved to a new estate, hasn’t he? It’s said his front gate is constantly crowded with people trying to offer bribes.”
“I heard something about that. Nobles’ servants loitering outside with bundles and boxes, right?”
“They think money can buy everything. Viscount Diobe is apparently the type to grovel before gold and jewels—so what of Celina, who inherited his blood?”
“However much you dislike her, don’t refer to her by name alone. After all, she serves His Majesty.”
“…Your Majesty. I was just being serious. Can you see my expression?”
“It’s too dark to see clearly.”
“Then I’ll brighten the lights—no, that’s not the issue, is it? If her behavior were at all tolerable, I’d treat her with proper courtesy. I understand—adjusting to palace life isn’t easy. I myself stumbled and learned through bruises at first. But she doesn’t observe even a shred of decorum. Where’s the grace in that? Does she think the palace is her personal bedroom? She grabs whatever she wants first, doesn’t even offer a proper greeting. Before being nobility, one must first be human—yet she doesn’t even bow her head to Her Imperial Majesty the Empress…”
It seemed all her pent-up frustrations had finally exploded, and Lynette’s complaints poured out rapidly like gunfire. How many periods had been tightly suppressed until now? The once-busy brushing had long since stopped.
Ilyd gently tapped Lynette’s hand to soothe her.
“I’ll handle her properly myself.”
“She’ll hardly listen. If she were the type to understand, she wouldn’t strut around the palace so recklessly…”
In the end, a faint sigh burst from Lynette’s lips. Ilyd feigned nonchalance and spoke calmly.
“I’m truly fine. It’s easier if I consider them strangers who have nothing to do with me.”
Lynette bit her lips in silence. Nothing to do with her? Their insults toward the Empress had long since crossed all bounds. Every time Ilyd claimed she was fine, Lynette’s heart burned as though turning to ash.
“So, Lynette, I really must sleep now.”
“…Understood. But first, I’ll give you today’s final report.”
Lynette’s voice dropped sharply. She leaned closer and began whispering into Ilyd’s ear.
“I’ve heard rumors that His Imperial Majesty the Emperor is preparing for war again. Several regiments have already been moved to the western regions.”
“The west… Rosen? But they’ve always claimed neutrality and avoided war thus far…”
Claudius’s greed knew no end. Though countless city-states and small nations had already been absorbed into the Empire through conquests begun under the Late Emperor, Claudius desired even more.
‘He’ll likely seek mercenaries again this time.’
Ilyd clenched her hands, causing the white nightgown to crumple deeply, leaving sharp creases.
For the past few centuries, the Western Continent had maintained peace through a treaty that reduced national armies. Yet this agreement relied solely on the conscience and goodwill of each nation’s leaders.
The Astrid Empire had been the first to break the treaty, beginning to swallow neighboring small states under the guise of “protection.”
However, rebuilding armies diminished by treaty was impossible overnight, so they turned their eyes toward mercenary companies wandering the Empire’s northern regions.
Mercenaries could be hired with money and would cleanly depart once their job was done. With relationships built purely on coin, there were no lingering grudges—how convenient.
Under Claudius, succeeding the Late Emperor, contracting skilled mercenary companies had become almost routine.
Ilyd decided to seize this opportunity—she would quietly recruit mercenary companies already contracted by the imperial household. It had to happen as naturally as flowing water.
She quietly lay down on the bed. Lynette, confirming Ilyd was settled, dimmed the room’s light further—just enough for her to recognize the room’s outlines should she awaken suddenly.
She placed a headache remedy and a glass of water on the small nightstand beside the bed.
“May you have sweet dreams, Your Majesty.”
Lynette murmured quietly as she closed the bedroom door, unsure if Ilyd had heard.
She walked slowly down the corridor. Faint lights illuminated the dark Empress’s quarters one by one. Outside the windows, guards patrolled.
Were those men truly willing to live for Her Imperial Majesty the Empress? Right now, Ilyd desperately needed even just one loyal person by her side.
Every maid currently serving in the Empress’s quarters had been with Ilyd since she was Crown Princess. Ilyd hoped they would never leave the Empress’s quarters and would swear lifelong loyalty to her.
Lynette leaned slowly against the corridor wall. The cold, hard surface instinctively stiffened her body.
She must have been around ten years old. Her family’s fortunes had declined so severely they’d collapsed entirely—her father had recklessly expanded his business ventures.
On the day her father sold his last noble title and ended up destitute on the streets, the first person to rush forward and offer a helping hand was none other than Ilyd’s mother.
“Come quickly, dear. Ilyd, say hello to Lynette.”
Their shy, hesitant first greeting remained vivid in her memory. For both Ilyd and Lynette, it was the moment they first gained someone they could genuinely call “friend.”
Though their statuses differed, Countess Melphiram never treated Lynette as a mere maid or servant. Officially, Lynette grew up as Ilyd’s companion and sister.
It was due to a final wish left by Lynette’s mother—should she die, she entrusted Lynette’s future to the Countess. The Countess’s face had looked so sorrowful as she spoke of it.
But because Count Melphiram, Ilyd’s father, had sternly scolded them, Lynette had been forced to address Ilyd formally as “Miss” in public. Of course, when alone, they always reverted to calling each other by name, whispering secrets like true friends.
Having been together from the Melphiram estate until Ilyd became Empress, Lynette was both Ilyd’s closest friend and her most steadfast family.
Yet now, she was the only “Melphiram” left by Ilyd’s side.
Everyone in the Empire knew that Ilyd’s entire natal family—the Melphiram comital house—had been exterminated on charges of treason.
Nobles loyal to the Emperor had produced “evidence” of rebellion. Though closer inspection revealed it to be full of fabrications and forced conclusions, Claudius showed no interest in verifying its truth.
He simply stood by, as if wishing for the Melphiram name to vanish forever from the Empire, and sent them all to their deaths.
Ilyd alone had escaped accusation—nowhere in the falsified evidence was there anything implicating her.
As though she had never been their target from the start.
Even the nobles who had loudly demanded punishment raised no objections on this point.
They merely clamored for Ilyd to be deposed and exiled from her position as Empress. Yet Claudius neither killed nor banished her.
The guilt of being the sole survivor slowly grew within Ilyd.
Only two people from the Melphiram estate remained: Ilyd and Lynette.
There was no telling when the Emperor might change his mind and turn his blade against them both. To survive, they had to bow their heads, prostrate themselves, and never provoke his temper.
But how much longer must Ilyd endure this humiliation? Sometimes she even said she’d rather die honorably than suffer disgrace…
Yet there was no such thing as an honorable death.
Had Melphiram, who had raised his voice for the people, shone any brighter after death?
Each day, counting survival itself as fortune, felt as precarious as walking atop a ceiling made of glass.
But she couldn’t simply stand still out of fear.
Ilyd blinked slowly in the darkness, unable to sleep. The longer her sleepless nights stretched, the more vividly she imagined a future where she exacted revenge on Claudius.
She would shatter the throne and power—the very things he held most dear.
“You’re the one who will crumble.”
Each time she whispered this to herself, the back of her hand resting on her forehead grew hot. Ilyd barely closed her eyes, forcing herself to seek sleep.
Just for tonight, she hoped she wouldn’t have nightmares.
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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