“My lady… The master has arrived.”

Chloe hastily removed her hands from the embroidery.

“You imbecile! Make some noise when you walk!”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“He’s here?”

The maid bowed deeply. Chloe tenderly wrapped her finger that had been pricked by the needle. The maids applied ample medicine to it.

Though the hierarchy had collapsed when the sickly mistress died, a new order had formed here. A hierarchy built by the mistress and illegitimate child.

“B-But my lady. The master is drunk now… It would be better to see him later when he’s sober.”

“Drunk again? Why?”

There was a commotion outside. A faint fear shone in the maids’ eyes. Chloe pushed past the maids and went outside.

“Where is he?”

“Ou-outside.”

“Stop stuttering and speak properly!”

“But, it’s better if you don’t see him. My lady! My lady!”

Just as the maid urgently tried to grab Chloe, Pyotr, thoroughly soaked in alcohol, barged into the room clutching a bottle. After slamming the servants to the floor, he poured the bottle into his mouth. The servants quickly moved out of the way.

“Master, please calm down.”

“Where is that child?”

Pyotr whipped his head around.

“Where is Charlotte!”

“The young lady is no longer in this house.”

“Ah… That’s right. She’s gone now.”

Pyotr swallowed a hiccup.

“Why does my stomach burn so?”

The mother and daughter are irritating whether in sight or out of mind. When in his hands, he couldn’t let go and was irritated, but now in another’s hands, it grated on his nerves.

“Father, have you returned?”

Pyotr raised his head at the call. Henrietta stood before him, hunching her small body. Her shoulders trembled slightly. Tsk, clicking his tongue, he pressed down on Henrietta’s shoulders with his hand.

“I told you to hide that vulgar habit… Your attitude reflects on my reputation.”

Disrespected again. Just as his dead wife disrespected him, just as his daughter disrespected him.

Pyotr smashed the bottle on the floor. A sharp crashing sound rang out. The servants cowered, avoiding the bottle shards.

“Don’t do things to be disrespected by your sister. Tsk tsk! Her mother begged on her knees… And that child lived like a parasite… I thought I had everything, but that woman was my daughter too.”

It was crude language for someone who had become a royal elder. Henrietta lowered her head. This family is strange. It’s strange, mother.

“Young master, please go to your room.”

The butler whispered after dismissing the servants.

“The master has had too much to drink. Let’s go inside.”

Pyotr staggered further away.

“Useless fool.”

Henrietta tugged at her birth mother’s skirt.

“M-Mother…”

“Your father becomes violent when he drinks. This isn’t because he hates you, so listen well to your father’s words and focus on improving yourself.”

Henrietta hung her head at the hand gripping her shoulder. Mother. I preferred it before coming to this house. I liked it better when it was just the two of us, mother.

“Father dug another grave.”

Even to the young son, his father’s strange behavior had worsened.

Slap! Chloe struck Henrietta’s cheek roughly. Clutching her reddened, swollen cheek, Henrietta groaned in pain.

“Watch your mouth.”

The butler averted his gaze.

Chloe surveyed the empty grave. It seemed the former wife’s traces in the mansion continued to torment them. She’s dead. You’re dead and gone. So just disappear already.

“How unlucky.”

Chloe signaled to the butler.

“Remove the gravestone.”

“…My lady”

“Shovel out that dirt too. It’s filthy.”

Thump thump, it felt like stepping into a dark, damp swamp.

“Your Majesty. Are you listening? Your Majesty?”

Charlotte gestured that she was listening.

A banquet was prepared in the hall. Appetizing dishes were laid out on the table. Servants busily moved plates of food, and steam rose from the hot dishes.

“I will dismiss all the lower servants.”

The head servant ushered out all the attendants.

The Emperor and Empress, along with Windsor as an honored guest, were seated in the dining room. As the imperial family mainly ate simple foods, dishes without strong spices were served.

Aster spoke as he watched the dining room door close.

“The country’s finances have finally stabilized. I thought it would take a few more years to recover. It’s no wonder there were rumors of direct aides dying in the advisory office.”

“With so many people working on state affairs, how can we still be struggling at the bottom? They should all give up their positions and retire to the countryside.”

Benjamin swallowed a blatant curse. He loosened his cravat with a sharp gesture, seemingly feeling stifled inside.

“But, is the meal not to your liking?”

Charlotte’s knife scraped against the plate.

“No, I’ve eaten a lot.”

“Eaten a lot? The food has barely decreased at all.”

Benjamin scooped some food from the plate and lifted it with his fork. It was an action far from imperial etiquette.

“I’ll eat it myself.”

“You’ve been staring at the food for ages.”

“I was just about to eat.”

Aster glanced down at Charlotte’s plate and muttered.

“Mushrooms… Ahem, take the mushrooms. Ahem.”

Benjamin also picked up a piece of mushroom with his fork. The sliced mushrooms were simply grilled without any sauce. As she took a bite, the mushroom chewed softly in her mouth. Aster smirked before quickly hiding his smile.

“Our family all have simple tastes. We prefer sauces that enhance the natural flavors, keeping things mild. We don’t particularly enjoy anything too stimulating.”

“I’ll give the chef a heads up.”

“The texture of the mushrooms is soft and chewy like meat. It would go well with the shredded chicken.”

Aster cleared his throat with a cough and said.

“By the way, Your Majesty.”

Aster asked Benjamin.

“There was a commotion at the palace gates early this morning. Did something happen?”

“The gates? Ah, that.”

Benjamin nodded.

“I received a report about it this morning too. Apparently someone’s been coming to the gates looking for me for the past few days. I told them to report to me again next time they come.”

“It’s been going on for a few days, it seems.”

“About three days? If they come every day, we should at least properly ask their reason, but those idiots just chased them away based on their appearance without even hearing why.”

Charlotte quietly closed her eyes.

‘Is it already that time?’

Benjamin looked down at Charlotte and offered her more mushrooms.

“Are you done eating?”

“I’ve eaten a lot.”

“You’ve only eaten what’s on the appetizer plate?”

Aster tore off some smoked chicken and placed it on Charlotte’s plate.

“You need to eat a lot to have strength. Eat this too. And that too. Come on. Cosette also had a small appetite, so we used to fill her plate with food when we were young.”

Aster placed some asparagus on Charlotte’s plate and grinned.

“Please eat plenty.”

The meal ended that way.

Charlotte had Windsor escort her family out. All the servants were dismissed. Someone draped a heavy shawl over her shoulders. Leandro patted her shoulder with his wrinkled hand. His weighty gaze touched the back of her head.

“As Your Majesty’s maternal grandfather, may I speak comfortably for a moment?”

“Please don’t say that, you can speak comfortably.”

Leandro wrapped his arm around Charlotte’s.

“The wind is cold. Be careful not to catch a cold.”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

“If a newlywed child looks gloomy, how can the family leave in peace?”

Charlotte shook her head.

“Listen well. There will be days when I revere Your Majesty as an elder of the imperial family, and days when I see you as a child. But that doesn’t change our current relationship…”

Stay centered. As he had repeatedly said.

“Take care.”

The grip of his calloused hand was rough. It seemed to show the harsh years her grandfather had endured.

“Usually, the consummation date is received separately from the shrine…”

Charlotte trailed off.

“I will help you with brushing your hair.”

Charlotte let the maids attend to her. They pinned lilies of the valley in her hair and dressed her in a nightgown. The hem of the nightgown flowed loosely.

Her slender neckline was revealed, and her hair was swept back. The long hair flowing below her hips created a mysterious atmosphere.

“Is there anything else you need?”

“Bring some strong liquor.”

“Pardon?”

“His Majesty often asks for strong liquor before sleeping. Just bring a full bottle of anything.”

The head maid tactfully brought the strong liquor the Emperor often drank.

“Then rest well.”

As Charlotte lit the candle on the table, she saw the liquor bottle next to it. Charlotte put a cherry in her mouth and uncorked the bottle. A bitter alcohol scent wafted out.

Knock knock−.

Benjamin, wearing a robe, knocked on the bedroom door.

“You heard I was looking for strong liquor?”

“It looks better for the Emperor to ask for it rather than the Empress. You seem to drink quite strong alcohol often. The head maid brought it so naturally.”

Benjamin nodded.

“I drank it often.”

“…”

“But I didn’t drink it straight from the bottle like you, Charlotte.”

Charlotte poured the strong liquor straight into her mouth from the bottle.

“It’s a bit difficult to pretend to be refined.”

If wine was a mellow fruit liquor, this was just alcohol.

It was quite harsh. As the liquor flowed down her esophagus, her throat burned.

“It’s strong, but you drank it often?”

“Did I? Just as you’re nonchalant about it now, I must have been the same.”

“If you say so, I have nothing to say.”

Charlotte rolled the strong liquor on her tongue. Gulp, as she swallowed, the harsh alcohol scent stung her nose.

“Indeed, the saying not to challenge the Windsor family to a drinking contest didn’t come from nowhere.”

She gulps down that strong liquor. Even for men, just a few glasses would make them completely drunk and hunched over.

The Windsor family would hate it and try to stop her, but Charlotte calmly swirled the bottle and held it out to Benjamin.

“Don’t stare so intently.”

Charlotte wiped her lips with the back of her hand. The alcohol was slowly taking effect. As she mussed her hair, a faint soap scent wafted out.

“Hasn’t the past time been difficult?”

“Even if it was particularly difficult, it’s not a position where I can show it outwardly.”

“You’ve ascended to a tiring position. Though they say there was no other choice.”

Benjamin took the liquor and drank. By now, he was quite accustomed to the strong alcohol.

“With no other choice, I ascended to this position.”

“If there had been another choice, would it have been different?”

“Well. I don’t think it would have been particularly different.”

Benjamin trailed off, muttering.

“I’ve become quite numb now, but these days my mind is complicated.”

“Did something happen?”

Benjamin took another sip of the strong liquor. One sip became two.

“Well. Nothing in particular happened.”

Benjamin trailed off, swirling the bottle. It was already empty, as if he had drunk it all. He took out another bottle from the cabinet. This time it was liquor in a silver flask. As he uncorked it, the alcohol scent slowly rose.

“Something, just feels stifling inside.”

Benjamin quietly closed his eyes.