“Her Majesty, the Moon of the Empire, Francis Antoinette, and His Excellency, the Shield of the Empire, Sion Delpast of the Northern Duchy, have arrived!”
‘They have arrived! His Excellency, the Duke.’
Standing at the silver gate, the Duke and the Empress instantly captured the attention of everyone in the hall, including the Emperor’s.
“Ah! She is still so beautiful.”
“Goodness… How long has it been!”
Elderly nobles seemed to reminisce about their youth, expressing their longing and admiration.
“It’s really incredible! This is the first time in over ten years that Her Majesty has appeared in public. She has been in seclusion since the passing of the Crown Prince.”
Arcadia, with a surprised expression, murmured while looking at the Duke.
“Your Excellency, what magic have you used?”
‘That’s the Empress… the mother who raised my father.’
The Empress, escorted by the Duke, slowly walked towards the dais where the Emperor was.
As if by agreement, everyone parted to make way for the Empress.
Despite her age, she maintained her elegance. Her delicate jade-colored dress neatly and regally enveloped her aura.
The Duke, passing by me and Arcadia, glanced at me for a moment – a brief look of concern.
I deeply bowed my head towards the Duke.
‘Your Majesty, you have exceeded my expectations.’
A mix of intense tension and longing finally settled on the Empress, who now stood in front of the dais. More precisely, on the Empress and the Emperor, who watched her.
The Emperor, for a long time, couldn’t say anything, just looking at the Empress. His face briefly betrayed emotions one would not expect from an emperor, almost like those of a nervous young boy.
Finally, the Empress, slightly lifting her skirt, paid her respects to the Emperor, and then spoke.
Her calm voice gently swept across the hall.
“Francis Antoinette greets His Majesty, the Sun of the Empire. Where should I go now? It’s comfortable down here too.”
The Emperor flinched.
“If you wish, should I leave, Your Majesty?”
“No, no! Come up here, Francis, I mean, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor seemed nervous. Outwardly, he tried to maintain his usual dignity.
Arcadia whispered, looking at the Emperor and the Empress.
“This is their first meeting in 12 years.”
He briefly shared the story entwining the two, including the reason for their estrangement.
‘So, she was the one who supported my parents.’
Drawn by an inexplicable pull, I couldn’t take my eyes off the Empress.
Slowly, the Empress ascended the dais and stood beside the Emperor. Suddenly, she seemed to have become the main character of the day, shifting focus from Cecilia.
The atmosphere in the hall changed.
“Empress, did you come after hearing the news? Look.”
The Emperor pointed to Cecilia standing beside him. Cecilia was now trembling visibly, her face pale with fear.
“Who is this child, Your Majesty?”
“This is the child who might be our granddaughter. Look at her golden eyes, resembling Michael. This child knows memories that only Michael and I knew, Empress. Today, with Lucrella, we will finally confirm if she is indeed of the imperial bloodline.”
A breathless silence turned towards the Empress, everyone awaiting her reaction.
But then… for a moment, the Empress seemed on the verge of tears as she looked at the Emperor.
‘Did only I notice that?’
“Commander, I just saw the Empress looking like she was about to cry.”
“Huh?”
Arcadia looked again at the Empress.
“Not at all. She just continues to be beautiful and dignified.”
What was that expression I saw? Was it only visible to me?
But then, the Emperor’s face began to pale as he watched the Empress.
The Empress spoke.
“Your Majesty, with all due respect, this woman… she does not resemble the Crown Prince in the slightest. Not only that, she doesn’t resemble Agnes either, not in any way.”
“Don’t mention that name!”
Suddenly, the Emperor’s voice rose sharply.
The nobles began to whisper amongst themselves.
“She doesn’t resemble him? Indeed… I had thought so too.”
“The Emperor still harbors hatred towards the saint of the ruined kingdom.”
A cold feeling settled in the pit of my stomach.
The Empress spoke.
“Your Majesty. For over ten years, I have lived with the faces of those children in my mind. I have never seen her, but there’s no reason I wouldn’t recognize her. This woman… she doesn’t seem right.”
The Emperor’s face twisted.
Then it happened.
“Majesty! Please save me! I have committed a grave sin!!”
Cecilia began to wail, prostrating herself on the spot. Baron Schumael and his wife also prostrated themselves below the dais.
“Why are you doing this, Cecilia?”
The shocked Emperor tried to lift Cecilia.
“Your Majesty! How dare I, so lowly and unworthy, deceive you! I was under hypnosis, mistakenly believing I was the real princess! It wasn’t intentional deceit! I was deceived too!”
Cecilia crawled on her knees, weeping uncontrollably.
“I am not a princess. I am sorry, Your Majesty! I was deceived! It’s unjust!”
Cecilia clasped her hands, pleading to the Emperor.
Baroness Schumael also wept and implored.
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
