Stolen Crown Princess (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 8

Late in the evening, Eustia sat at the table by the window, silently sipping her tea.

Though it was clearly no different from any other evening, for some reason she couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling.

Suddenly, Liurian’s face from that morning flashed in her mind. Right after finishing her morning toilette and coughing fit, a maid waiting outside her door had informed her of Liurian’s visit.

At that, Eustia couldn’t help but break into a broad smile.

To Eustia, Liurian was her only son—the very center of her life. Sending him off to the battlefield had felt like watching the world collapse around her.

And yet, after a full year, he had returned completely unharmed—but strangely, she couldn’t dispel an inexplicable sense of disquiet.

It was an unpleasant feeling, as if the son before her wasn’t the one she knew. Yet all that unease vanished completely at the mere news that he would come see her early that morning.

Eustia’s heart fluttered with unprecedented excitement at the long-awaited tea time with her son. Time flew by quickly as they exchanged stories they’d put off sharing for so long.

It was a joy beyond words—at least, until they began discussing the victory banquet.

[Liu, you do know the victory banquet is in three days, right? According to the Marquis, Lady Lellia has been preparing very diligently so she won’t embarrass you that day.]

Eustia relayed Lellia’s recent news in a perfectly casual tone. Lellia’s name was always an unavoidable topic in her conversations with Liu.

But something odd happened.

The moment Lellia’s name came up, Liurian’s expression hardened instantly.

[…Is that so?]

Her son’s lifeless voice left Eustia more bewildered than ever before, but she concealed her surprise and continued speaking of Lellia.

[It’s her first public appearance in a year. She must be both nervous and excited. That’s probably why she’s taking such thorough care with her preparations.] […] [Liu, while you were away, the young lady suffered greatly in her heart. People have been whispering behind her back—saying if anything happened to you on the battlefield, she’d be left like a gourd severed from its vine. But now that you’ve returned perfectly well, as if to prove them wrong, wouldn’t she want to make a strong impression at the banquet?]

It was a faithful recounting of the past year, without embellishment.

Seeing Lellia distressed always filled Eustia with guilt. Lellia would never have endured such treatment if Liurian hadn’t gone to war.

Moreover, before his departure, the two had been deeply affectionate toward each other.

Thus, Eustia had been certain Liurian would fly into a rage if he learned what had happened in his absence.

Yet, faced with Liurian’s utterly impassive, unmoving expression, her certainty shattered into pieces.

[I actually wished to consult you about something, which is why I requested this meeting.] [Consult? Has something happened? Tell me at once, Liu.] [Nothing’s wrong—it’s just that I’ve been considering whether I should attend the victory banquet with the Crown Princess.] […Attend the banquet—with the Crown Princess?]

Eustia’s pupils dilated sharply, trembling helplessly. It was something she’d never imagined in any form.

That the Crown Princess—and not Lellia—should be mentioned by Liurian himself.

Overwhelmed by a surge of conflicting emotions, Eustia couldn’t utter a word. Moreover, that earlier sense of disquiet began creeping back in.

[It’s nothing for you to misunderstand, Mother. Please don’t look so troubled.] […Liu, I simply can’t grasp how I should take your words.] [There’s no need to overthink it. After all, it was a war that lasted an entire year—one we ultimately won.]

Liurian continued explaining, yet Eustia’s furrowed brow refused to smooth. She struggled to comprehend the core of his meaning.

[This war against the Kingdom of Elia, which we won so decisively, will stand as a lasting achievement of mine. Naturally, people’s views of me must have changed.] […] [At a time when new factions supporting me might be emerging, I worry that attending the banquet with Lellia instead of the Crown Princess might undo the favorable reputation I’ve only just managed to secure.]

Only after this calm explanation did Eustia finally understand Liurian’s intent—but the lines on her brow remained.

She couldn’t believe such words had come from Liu’s mouth. That he would consider his future by anticipating how the nobles’ sentiments might have shifted due to the war.

That was her role to play. Liurian should simply follow her lead.

[Father surely desires your favor not only among the nobles and civil officials, but also among the common people. Only with such preparation will he smoothly grant you succession.] […] [I endured that suffocating battlefield relentlessly for a full year. Whether I wished for it or not, I achieved this victory with my own hands—and I don’t want to let it crumble so easily.] […] [Since things have come to this, I wish to gain Father’s clear recognition and firmly establish my foundation as the next Emperor.]

Eustia suddenly released the lower lip she’d been biting tightly.

Though still stunned that Liurian had such thoughts, she could no longer remain silent after hearing his final words.

She forgot entirely about that lingering sense of unease and gazed at Liurian with tear-moistened eyes.

[Oh, Liu. My son. How much you must have suffered over this past year.]

Eustia clasped Liurian’s hand tightly. His skin felt rough and calloused beneath her fingertips.

It seemed to embody the fierce trials Liurian had endured over the past year, and her heart broke all over again.

How frightened and terrified he must have been. How hard he must have fought just to survive that ghastly field of slaughter.

How grueling must those days have been for her son—who had always seemed like a child—to return after only a year as a fully grown man.

Eustia couldn’t hold back her tears.

Now that she thought about it, every word Liu had spoken was perfectly sound.

Just as Liu said, if he won the nobles’ favor, the people’s support would surely follow naturally.

After all, rumors that stirred the common folk usually originated from noble households.

If Liu himself could win over not only the nobles but also the people, Gadro would have no choice but to acknowledge him in the end.

That was precisely what Liu, yearning for his father’s recognition, desired most.

[Very well, Liu. Do as you wish.]

Eustia stroked Liu’s gaunt cheek, her eyes filled with tender pity.

Though Lellia weighed on her mind, no matter how lovely the Marquis’s daughter seemed in her eyes, she could never compare to her own son. Yet, that didn’t mean she could simply abandon Lellia.

Eustia took another sip of her now-cold tea. Just then, a knock echoed through the quiet Empress’s chamber.

“Your Majesty, Lady Lellia of Netth Marquisate has arrived in the reception room.”

The respectful announcement from the head maid was precisely the news Eustia had been waiting for.

Without hesitation, Eustia set down her teacup and rose from her seat. Instinctively, she turned and walked toward the corridor leading to the reception room.

The moment Eustia entered the reception room, she beamed warmly at Lellia.

“My lady. I know it was sudden—I’m sure you were startled—but thank you for coming so promptly.”

She offered the formal pleasantries as she took her seat. Lellia, following suit, shook her head with a gentle curve of her eyes.

“No, Your Majesty. I’m always overjoyed whenever you summon me like this.”

Eustia knew it was flattery, yet Lellia’s words dripped sweetly into her ears like honey. Still, this wasn’t the time to savor such pleasantries.

Eustia glanced cautiously at Lellia. As always, Lellia showed no sign of distress—not even today.

Perhaps it was because she couldn’t possibly imagine what Liurian was thinking ahead of the victory banquet.

Pretending ignorance of Lellia’s feelings, Eustia deliberately assumed a solemn expression.

“I called you here so late and in such haste because I have something important to tell you.”

“Something to tell me, Your Majesty?”

Eustia, about to speak further, suddenly looked troubled. Lellia’s eyes were far too innocent and guileless. The thought of delivering unwelcome news became even more uncomfortable.

Lellia was the only match Eustia herself had approved for Liurian. Though she couldn’t yield the Crown Princess’s seat, she’d planned to make Lellia Empress immediately after Liurian’s succession.

Once that happened, she could fully support Lellia—making her an Empress wielding even greater power than Crown Princess Ibelia, given time.

Moreover, as Ibelia’s position weakened, the Caroline Marquisate’s influence would inevitably wane, leaving only the Garnet Dukedom—her own faction—to dominate the Imperial Palace.

That was the perfect picture Eustia had envisioned. Hurting Lellia’s feelings would serve no purpose in reaching that dream.

Of course, other options existed—but Eustia truly favored Lellia.

Thus, she wished as much as possible not to wound Lellia’s heart…

But the situation left her no choice.

After all, she’d already given Liurian her answer: Do as you will.

Eustia steeled her resolve.

“My lady, I’m speaking of the victory banquet held in Liurian’s honor three days from now.”

“I’ve actually been preparing diligently so I won’t embarrass His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“It seems this time, the Crown Princess must accompany Liu to the banquet.”

The moment the Empress finished speaking, Lellia’s expression hardened instantly.