While continuing the story about magic tools, the carriage arrived in front of the magic tower research institute. Killian felt the time to send Veronia off was too cruel.

“Take care.”

“Thank you, Your Excellency.”

Veronia also felt regretful about parting. She chided herself for not being able to easily leave.

‘Regretful? You’ve really gone mad, mad!’

She had already reproached herself several times, but it was useless. The time spent with Killian was comfortable, and therefore enjoyable.

‘Comfortable? Enjoyable? No. That’s not it! Don’t do this, please!’

The whirlwind of indescribable feelings was overwhelming.

Life since escaping until now had been happiness itself. So much so that she dared to claim it was perfect.

But then suddenly, a stone named Killian had rolled in, disrupting her perfect life. However, the problem wasn’t Killian.

The real problem was that the mistaken belief that even with such a stone, her perfect life wouldn’t change was starting to sprout.

‘If my identity isn’t discovered like this… then wouldn’t it be okay?’

This kind of indecisive thinking. Whew, a heavy sigh burst through Veronia’s small lips.

The imperial mourning period for the emperor ended.

Evidence poured in that Madame Brienne had committed arson, and an emergency trial was held to determine right and wrong. The trial produced the result everyone had expected without any twists.

It was said that Madame Brienne, who had originally suffered from bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder, set the fire in anger when the emperor said he couldn’t accept the child.

People were outraged by the crime of passion committed by a crazy, cold-blooded person.

On the last day of the festival commemorating the new emperor’s coronation, it was decided to carry out the execution of the atrocious murderer. People cheered when they heard the news of the execution.

Veronia got goosebumps at the reaction of neighboring residents rejoicing over Madame Brienne’s execution. It reminded her of the execution she had seen in a dream long ago when she first transmigrated to this world.

The frenzied look in the eyes of those who wanted her neck to be cut, her blood to be spilled, and her to die was still vivid.

Veronia shuddered and closed the newspaper. She vowed not to open a newspaper for a while.

It was then.

Knock, knock, knock, with a cute knocking sound, the door opened and Jediel poked his head in.

“Mom?”

“Jediel, come here.”

At Veronia’s words, Jediel ran over and snuggled into her arms. The child still had sleepy eyes as if he had just woken up, and his hair was messy and sticking up.

“Did our Jediel sleep well?”

“Yes. What about you, Mom?”

Jediel asked in a sleepy voice while gently rubbing his face between his mom’s neck and shoulder.

“Mom slept well too.”

“It’s not a work day, right?”

“That’s right. What should we do with Jediel today?”

“Sleep in.”

Veronia chuckled at the child’s response, who was almost half asleep.

“As you command.”

“…”

She got back into bed while holding Jediel.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just get rid of her quickly?”

Jonathan asked in a somewhat irritable tone. His impatient feelings were transparently visible on his face.

“I’m afraid a variable might arise if we leave her as is. I want to nip it in the bud as soon as possible.”

In contrast, Sandra’s face was full of composure. She had an expression that said there was nothing more to be concerned about.

Her bright red lips moved languidly.

“She killed the emperor. Wouldn’t it be meaningless if she dies without a sound?”

“What use are you talking about in killing a person, Your Majesty?”

Jonathan tilted his head as if he didn’t understand. A sardonic smile appeared at the corners of the empress dowager’s mouth.

“What do you think politics is, Emperor?”

The title ‘Emperor’ that came from her mouth seemed to please Jonathan quite a bit, as his expression softened slightly.

Although it was the empress dowager who posed the question, it was also she who answered it.

“The core of politics is ‘showing’. You must show the people.”

“…”

“Whether it’s hope or love, justice or revenge. Whatever it may be, politics must be able to package and show that meaning most intensely.”

The empress dowager’s eyes, filled with firm resolve, glinted ominously. Jonathan nodded his head silently, seeming to understand now.

It meant that the bloody revenge against the woman who killed the emperor must be without the slightest deficiency.

Only then would the people enthusiastically believe in and follow the new emperor. That’s what politics was, the empress dowager was saying.

The empress dowager’s red lips did not stop there. Her vicious voice vibrated through the air.

“Now is the time to clear away the old things without hesitation.”

“What do you mean by old things?”

“Stagnant water is bound to rot. Circulation is needed everywhere. Isn’t this time when a new emperor ascends to the throne just the right opportunity? Discard the old and take the new, Emperor.”

“By old, what exactly do you mean, Your Majesty?”

At Jonathan’s question, the empress dowager hesitated, moving her lips slightly.

“It’s not difficult. Things related to the past would be old. For example… like Prime Minister Killian Drea?”

“B-but Your Majesty, he… he is Prime Minister Killian Drea. Everyone…”

Jonathan was flustered at the unexpected name that came from the empress dowager’s mouth. It was burdensome for him to follow the empress dowager’s thinking.

And for good reason, for who was Prime Minister Killian Drea?

He was the one who cleanly resolved the border region that had been unsettled with endless large and small conflicts. Thanks to him and the knightly order he led, they were able to firmly defend the borders.

Not only that. When riots broke out in the southern region, he went to the south himself and calmed public sentiment without shedding a single drop of blood.

Praise was endless from both within the empire and around the world for leading the most peaceful agreement in imperial history.

And what about after Killian took the position of prime minister? People who had been struggling with poverty were no longer poor. People who had been angry calmed their anger.

It was truly a golden age of peace and prosperity.

The imperial family just had to sit back and watch. Even so, everything flowed well according to the natural order.

The empress dowager raised her voice as if scolding, raising her eyes.

“Do you want to become a half-emperor? Like your father?”

“Ah, that… that’s…”

Jonathan’s eyes wavered aimlessly.

Is it bad to be like his father? Isn’t it right for a son to respect and follow his father? Jonathan was confused.

“The emperor is different from his father. He’s been that way since he was young. He tried to have what he wanted and discarded what he disliked. I remember it all.”

“Your Majesty…”

Jonathan’s wavering eyes gradually found stability. His gaze fixed precisely on the empress dowager.

The empress dowager continued speaking, savoring Jonathan’s gaze.

“You must not become like the previous emperor, absolutely not. Be greedy, Emperor. Don’t share your inherent rights with others. Don’t become weak and don’t yield. Don’t leave things be.”

“I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty.”

Jonathan answered, putting strength in his voice. His eyes, which had stopped trembling, emitted a clear light.

Late at night, Killian visited the underground prison with Windler. The damp air stung their lungs, making it difficult to breathe.

“It’s here.”

Finally, the two stood in front of Madame Brienne’s cell. They couldn’t easily open their mouths at her miserable appearance.

Although her burns had been treated, there was no way they would have put much effort into treating a criminal. Even if the treatment had been perfect, the environment of the underground prison would have worsened the patient’s wounds.

Unable to bear the smell of rotting flesh, Windler frowned and covered his nose. Killian narrowed his brows at his aide’s frivolous behavior but did not rebuke him.

Killian asked Madame Brienne.

“I heard you tried to kill His Majesty the Emperor. Is it true that you set fire to His Majesty’s bedchamber? Speak the truth.”

The low, heavy voice tensed the air in the prison. Madame Brienne raised her head.

Half of her face, melted by fire, was nakedly exposed. The beautiful face that once made the emperor’s heart flutter was nowhere to be seen.

Windler, standing beside, inhaled sharply.

The woman’s entire body, with no strength left, wobbled limply, but her eyes were different.

As if all her energy was concentrated in her eyes, they sparkled brightly, gathering faint light even in the darkness.

Madame Brienne stared intently at Killian. She was probably gauging how much he would believe if she said something.

She had admitted to all charges at the trial.

She had no choice. The imperial family had taken her parents and siblings hostage and pressured her to admit to the charges.

She just nodded her head to the questions asked, with a feeling of despair.

‘This person… Killian, could something be different with this person?’

She had doubts.

But there were no imperial ears here now, and Prime Minister Killian Drea did not belong to the rotten imperial family.

It seemed like she could speak the truth without any constraints in front of this person.

Even if this truth changed nothing, she wanted to tell it. She wanted to convey it to someone.

Wanting to grasp at even a straw, Madame Brienne’s mouth slowly opened, intending to trust Killian just this once.

“It wasn’t me, I didn’t do it. How could I have done such a thing? His Majesty loved me. I had the emperor’s child growing in my womb!”

Madame Brienne cried out, painfully moving her chapped lips.