“There are inner feelings that are difficult to express in words.”

If everything could be explained in just a few words, how monotonous would people’s inner hearts be.

“We just don’t show it on the outside.”

Charlotte poured more liquor. Thanks to Benjamin showing her where to get it from, she easily poured the liquor.

Rather than confusing that heart with a long story, such small comfort was enough.

“Can you drink well?”

“Are you asking me?”

“Don’t say you have a stomachache the next day.”

The two held liquor bottles side by side.

“I heard that Windsor doesn’t confront people with alcohol.”

“Who would have told His Majesty such a lie?”

As Charlotte smiled slightly, Benjamin shook his head.

“Drinking straight from the bottle goes against royal etiquette.”

Charlotte cast a coldly chilled gaze out the window.

“Wouldn’t His Majesty soon be the law of the royal family?”

We have to get through tomorrow as if nothing happened again.

Even if it’s a bit lonely, it’s okay to wash it down with alcohol.

The liquor burned fiercely down the throat. All of this was familiar now.

Things that shouldn’t have become familiar gradually did.

“I’m getting sleepy now.”

Charlotte spoke haltingly, trailing off at the end.

It was late. The moonlit bedroom was tranquil. As if time had stopped, everything was slow.

If only everything would stop like this.

Ah, is this avoidance?

With such thoughts, she stared blankly out the window, and the night seemed especially long.

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The imperial palace was especially quiet in the early dawn.

Charlotte woke up late in bed. As she blinked her eyes slowly, her blurry vision gradually cleared.

The side of the bed was empty. As she ran her hand over it, there was still a faint warmth left.

Charlotte slowly clenched her fist. It felt as if she could grasp the warmth lingering in the bedsheet.

“Has Her Majesty the Empress awakened?”

The head maid made her presence known outside.

“I’m coming in.”

The head maid’s eyes widened at the sight shimmering beyond the canopy.

A woman with dark red hair was sitting languidly in bed, covered by the blanket. The way she brushed her hair behind her ear and blinked her eyes was captivating.

As the head maid stood there blankly, Charlotte turned her head.

“Are you going to keep standing there like that?”

“I, I apologize.”

“Prepare some warm bath water. I need to soak.”

Charlotte soaked in the bath water to loosen her stiff muscles. The hangover headache also cleared up.

“What about His Majesty the Emperor?”

“He got up early in the morning and headed to the training grounds. By now, he should have finished morning training and gone to his office.”

Benjamin was a knight renowned in the palace before becoming emperor.

The position of crown prince had made him that way. The tendency to push himself for survival since his days as crown prince still remained.

Training at the grounds from early dawn and overseeing morning affairs was Benjamin’s daily routine.

“He’s strict with others, but also strict with himself. That’s why the staff respects His Majesty even while complaining.”

Charlotte answered while brushing her hair.

“That’s enough bathing for now. Help me get dressed.”

“Yes. I’ll bring your bathrobe.”

The maids hurried to wipe off the water on her body and began diligently dressing her.

The head maid clapped her hands to get the maids’ attention.

“Bring the hair ribbon. Let’s tie it with a ribbon and let it hang down.”

And so the day slowly passed.

At that time.

An intelligence officer came to the palace. The officer knocked on the office door.

“Your Majesty. I’m coming in.”

Benjamin was leaning languidly on the office desk. As he raised his head while sitting with his legs crossed, his snake-like eyes narrowed naturally. Benjamin put down his quill pen and rubbed his nape. The staff swallowed dryly at that leisurely gesture.

“What is it?”

“Remember that old man who was said to be looking for Your Majesty periodically at the city gates?”

“Ah, that farmer… What about him?”

“He’s come to the city gates again. It seems he was turned away at first due to his worn and shabby appearance, but there appears to be something to it.”

“Didn’t I say to send word if he came again?”

If it was someone who came once, that would be one thing, but if someone came multiple times, there must be a reason.

“I’ll report it. That old man took a strategist to his house.”

Benjamin narrowed his eyes with a look that said, what’s this now?

“I see. Have them stand by for now.”

Benjamin looked out of the office. The palace was busy from early morning.

.

.

Soon, a carrier pigeon knocked on the office window.

“Urgent message.”

It was a red string. An urgent message from intelligence. An aide untied it.

The note was sealed with wax, stamped with a red phoenix indicating ‘Top Secret’. It meant no one but the emperor should open it. Benjamin, who unfolded that note, refrained from speaking for a while.

He curtly dismissed it, saying he would visit and convey the details. The staff was summoned. A subtle silence descended on the palace.

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The old man sobbed as he looked at the corpse abandoned in the field.

“Oh no. Oh no. What to do… Oh no.”

Even deposed, the empress was an elder of the royal family. It was proper for the royal family to take care of the body, but by then the royal family had already lost its hierarchy. They didn’t even bother to collect the deposed empress’s body and abandoned it in the forest.

“What will become of the royal family? What will happen?”

The empress was not someone to be lost like this.

“This old man will serve Your Majesty. Please, rest in peace.”

The old man collected the deposed empress while avoiding the eyes of the royal family.

“This old man is a nobody, so this is all I can do for you.”

He held a simplified funeral for the deposed empress, bought an urn, and enshrined her remains.

On her death anniversary, he would offer prayers and hide the remains from the eyes of the royal family.

This was all this old man could do for the palace. To commemorate this death, even if just a little.

“Why… such trials for this person…”

The old man held the remains close and hid them well. Waiting for the day these remains would return to the royal family. For the day the royal family would wash away their past sins…

These remains must not be shown outside yet.

A young emperor ascended the throne. There were widespread rumors that he had killed all his relatives to take the throne. Even after that, the old man kept hiding.

“They say the royal family is holding a memorial service for those who died.”

Ah… Your Majesty, only now can I properly serve you. The old man came out after the memorial service ended.

“How, how can I see His Majesty the Emperor?”

“Has this old man gone mad? Do you think His Majesty is someone you can meet just because you want to?”

The old man kept visiting the palace.

‘How can I see His Majesty? Please, tell me how.’

‘Please let me see His Majesty the Emperor. I must return this to His Majesty. Please, His Majesty…! This old man begs you.’

‘Your Majesty! Please meet this old man! Your Majesty! Before this old man dies, I must return that person to Your Majesty.’

At first, the old man tried to find a way to see the emperor directly, but when it became difficult, he pleaded directly at the palace gates.

“Your Majesty, to Your Majesty, please… convey my words.”

Before he dies, he must bring those remains to the palace.

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Benjamin took a slow, deep breath.

“Your Majesty. Are you alright?”

The head chamberlain called out to Benjamin cautiously.

“They say people from outside will arrive soon. The urgent message just came, so they’ll be here shortly. A priest to examine the remains has also been dispatched from the temple.”

The servants became busy with the news delivered late in the afternoon.

‘The deposed empress’s remains.’

The young emperor’s mother was deposed and executed. They couldn’t even collect her body when she was sent away, but someone had been taking care of the remains from that time.

However, it was difficult to blindly believe just the old man’s words. They were remains thought to have been lost for twenty years.

Everyone watched the young emperor’s reaction. Benjamin had been silent ever since receiving the urgent message.

“Your Majesty.”

Charlotte called out to Benjamin.

“Emperor, Your Majesty.”

Benjamin tilted his head in response to that voice.

“…”

Benjamin gestured for Charlotte to speak and waited. All the servants watched him.

Charlotte took a breath. Benjamin also needed to say something soon. Only then would the servants receive those instructions and move.

Charlotte closed her eyes and opened her lips. Her gentle voice flowed out like a melody.

“The servants are waiting. Please give them instructions, Your Majesty.”

“Silence is golden. Tell the servants to compose themselves and tidy up the surroundings. Don’t show any unnecessary commotion outside, and make sure they keep their mouths shut.”

The head chamberlain nodded.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will keep it in mind.”

Everyone withdrew. Charlotte stroked his back. She wrapped his shoulders with a stiff hand.

“It seems the late empress is trying to return.”

It seems she’s trying to reach the royal family after a long, winding journey. How long this wait has been.

The seven-year-old child became an adult, and the deposed crown prince who was almost killed after being driven out of the palace ascended to the throne himself.

“We don’t know yet.”

The palace was not a place where one could readily believe just because they wanted to.

“Just.”

Benjamin murmured quietly.

“We need to confirm.”

Benjamin kept in mind the possibility that it might not be true.

Too much time had passed. Almost too much to simply believe.

“Let’s go out to meet the late empress so she doesn’t lose her way.”

Charlotte slowly pushed his back.

‘In your past life, you also retrieved the remains.’

But since she couldn’t tell him about his past life, she silently stayed by his side.

Charlotte smiled faintly. For his sake, who could neither rejoice nor grieve.

“Do you remember lighting lanterns during the memorial service to guide the way for the dead? The late empress has been away for a long time too. So that her return journey isn’t too far, so that she doesn’t lose her way, let’s go out one more step and wait.”

A servant cautiously approached.

“People have arrived outside, Your Majesty.”

Soon, Benjamin went down at the summons. Charlotte followed behind him. The servants followed them as well.

The footsteps were quiet, and every gesture was proper. All the servants bowed.

Their steps also stopped at the entrance of the imperial palace. The intelligence officers were lined up below.

“All intelligence officers of the Intelligence Bureau have returned after completing their mission.”

The one standing at the bottom of the stairs remained silent to the end.

“…”

Benjamin slowly walked towards the urn.