“That’s not what I mean. You misunderstand…!”

“Still not realizing your mistake!”

“!”

Suddenly, Helene began hiccupping.

In the silence that fell, only her tear-soaked hiccups were loud, making it seem as though I had said something inappropriate.

Enrique approached me, grinding his teeth in rage.

“Apologize to the holy woman immediately. Even as the Empress, you have no right to do this.”

“But the evidence is right there. Get a grip, Your Majesty. Aren’t you embarrassed in front of the guests?”

“On what basis are you doing this? You need a proper explanation.”

I didn’t doubt Cassandra’s words about Enrique only looking at me, but his intentions were probably quite different from her interpretation.

Enrique was likely looking for faults in me.

What other reason would he have to stare at a thorn in his side like me?

I laughed hollowly and gestured towards a specific table Meruem had keenly noticed.

“Hawthorn berries cause acute abdominal pain and vomiting. And the holy woman came to me wanting to decorate the banquet hall with hawthorn.”

“Do you have proof that Helene placed those here?”

“I didn’t put them there, Your Majesty. I knew about Kwan’s banquet culture. Then who could have placed them?”

“That’s….”

Of course, Helene didn’t physically place them herself.

But denying that using hawthorn was her idea is impossible.

All the maids in the palace knew that.

‘I don’t think or expect you to punish Helene severely, nor do I hope for it. Continue your millennia of love.’

But this will impact Helene’s image.

After this banquet, her position will be significantly reduced.

I called over the maids responsible for the area near the problematic table.

Pale and trembling, the maids could barely raise their heads.
“Don’t just walk away. Whether it was a mistake or not, your recent statement was an act of insulting the pride of the desert warriors. Therefore, it is right for you to apologize.”

“Pride? My pride? I… I didn’t mean that! I just wanted those who are sick to get better quickly….”

Of course, that wasn’t her intention.

But in a diplomatic setting like this, ignorance becomes a fault.

“A warrior of the desert must never accept the power of another religion, from birth until death.”

Enrique reluctantly explained in a low voice.

He probably wanted to quietly let the matter drop, but Helene’s inability to understand forced him to explain.

“If they accept blessings or healing from another religion, they lose their status as warriors and become apostates. They would also lose their pride, their right to enter paradise.”

“Ah… But I didn’t know.”

Helene frustratingly reiterated her innocence.

But those who really felt frustrated were the ministers watching the situation unfold.

“My goodness, is the holy woman… always like this?”

“Of course, the Empress’s decision to make her kneel might have been excessive… but in this situation, it’s right for the holy woman to step back.”

“What stubbornness… From now on, the holy woman should not step forward in diplomatic settings. The Empress is trying to resolve the situation gracefully, but she keeps causing trouble.”

“She used to give good advice on domestic matters…”

Enrique knew that the longer he delayed, the more the situation would turn against Helene.

The Empress had already won this battle.

How much of it was the Empress’s planning and how much Helene fell into the trap was unclear.

‘She’s changed. Like a completely different person.’

Was the Empress always capable of this?

Enrique wondered.

He had deliberately defended Helene more to provoke and observe the Empress’s reaction.

‘In the past, even if something bothered her, she tried not to show it.’

Enrique wanted to know.

Was the Empress the same person as before, just no longer loving him and therefore reacting differently?

‘Or perhaps.’

Has she been influenced by a demon…?