“Do those courtiers around you, who consider themselves so distinguished, have never uttered such words even once?”

“Well….”

Enrique, who was about to give some answer, shut his mouth again.

Anyway, he has a talent for making things frustrating.

“Why? If you send the saint away, it will disrupt the harmony with the temple. Shouldn’t you keep her by your side?”

Politically expelling the saint from the palace at this moment was a bad move. Paradoxically, with the growth of my influence, I ended up being unable to send her away.

If the relationship with the temple worsens now, the temple faction nobles will turn their backs, and the Emperor’s power will decrease accordingly.

‘Will the delicate balance on the precarious scale be distorted?’

But do I know that?

“No matter how much of an emperor you are, you can’t change people’s hearts. The moment passes once you have to make a choice; the heart is truly stronger than a sword.”

So just handle it yourself.

Of course, whatever he does, I already have my decision, but I do want to get rid of the unpleasant Helene in front of me.

‘She seems to have already given up on you.’

Just let go of her now.

“…If.”

“If?”

“If I send Helene away, is there a chance for relationship improvement?”

Enrique lowered himself so much, it was the first time since I possessed the empress.

‘You came off so strong when I was weak, but now that I’m strong, you’re begging weakly.’

Why do you keep disappointing me like this?

Would it have been like this even if my influence were not significant?

‘No.’

You must have tried to suppress me by force.

You and the people around you are all the same kind of humans.

Perhaps even now, being on the side that cooperates may seem less threatening in the long run.

In a good way, she was quick-witted, but in a bad way, she was endlessly
In a dimly patrolled area where knights and soldiers didn’t patrol well, I already knew through the map where the terrace was, providing a good view.

“Merem is scheduled to come to the banquet in about two hours.”

During that time, all I had to do was endure Enrique.

“You’re so beautiful. Among all in the world, should only you be skilled? Are you more precious than sunflowers?”

The sweet delusion of one day resonates in my ears.

No, it didn’t disappear even when spread out.

Enrique wanted to cut off his ears rather than listen to the voice settling back in its place, no matter how much he tried to spread it.

But this was the banquet hall, and the figure was beside him. It was Leornarda’s mouthpiece, and he had to listen carefully from beginning to end to what she said on behalf of him.

Enrique, who deliberately chose wide clothes, was relieved that his trembling body wasn’t noticed.

This trembling was nothing other than ecstasy.

For a long time, he prayed to the god, hitting his back. He asked the god what to do if that person was right here by his side.

But the stern god did not provide an answer, and only the voice of the devil lingered around his ears.

“I loved you. My Enrique. If the day comes when you die, how can I live alone? It might be better to die together and be tied to the cycle of rebirth.”

In the place where deep love was slashed and torn, only the scent of a burnt horse remained.

When he had that person, he didn’t know he should be grateful or give thanks. He was so dull, so there was no other way to describe him.

Love that gave everything. If he hadn’t felt the benevolence bestowed by a divine being to a human, it might have been unknown. However, once you taste it, it’s inevitable that a forbidden phenomenon occurs.

But the hollow chest that had never been satisfied with any precious thing in the world was fully filled with the fact that he had that person wearing the empress’s body by his side all the time.

Of course, she didn’t pay attention to me, but it didn’t matter much.

I didn’t want to know why, of all people, she ended up in Leonarda’s body.

There was no need to know.

What mattered was the result.

Beyond the long time and all those incidents, eventually, weren’t we bound by the name of a married couple?

‘Yes, this is the evidence of our destiny.’

It was okay to bring in several other men. It was okay to show only hatred toward him.

After all, he was my husband.

‘But still… wanting to receive love again is an excessive greed.’

With a darkened gaze, Enrique stared at the Silver Rose Grand Duke, who was whispering with the empress.

To be worthy of standing by his side, the intense feeling of deserving to be there and the strong jealousy fiercely fought each other.
“If I send Helene away, will you show interest in me again?”

He won’t be able to monopolize her completely like he did then. Probably, his turn will be pushed back a lot.

Still… still, that was the only way.

“If you’re still concerned about Helene, there might still be a pinch of interest in me.”

But what if… what if, right after sending Helene away, you don’t even look back at him?

Can he endure that?

If he can’t endure it, what should he do?