The Empress' Scandalous Paramour - Chapter 33

With a very serious expression, I set the mood and began an elaborate lie without even wetting my lips.

“I’ve already spoken to Father about this… I think it’s time to reveal it to you all as well.”

First, I deliberately mentioned Duke Ahilo to increase the credibility of my words.

By laying the groundwork that ‘my father, Duke Ahilo, also knows that I’ve changed’, their suspicions would inevitably lessen somewhat.

“After that accident where I lost consciousness for two weeks… I said I lost my memories, didn’t I?”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“But that wasn’t all. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I keep hearing a voice. A voice that tells me many things.”

Charlotte seemed to believe me regardless of what was actually going on.

The remaining two…

I put on an even more heartfelt performance.

“I came to see the world as that person sees it, and act as that person instructs me. But it was hard to believe these were the words of a god. I thought I had finally gone mad.”

Here, I evoke sympathy.

As I feigned a slightly tearful voice, Lady Berthold wiped her eyes with an overwhelmed expression.

“But the people from Quan told me there was divine will in me. And when I grasped that dagger, something amazing happened. I saw a new world. God came to me and spoke His words.”

Well, it wasn’t exactly a lie.

If you think about it, it’s all true, isn’t it?

I lowered my voice and whispered gently.

“But I don’t have divine power, do I?”

“Ah… That’s right.”

“Yes. That’s why I doubted myself for so long. If I had become a saint, I should rightfully have divine power, shouldn’t I?”

At this point, I preemptively address the part Derek might doubt.

It was a basic con artist technique to increase credibility by revealing weaknesses.

“When I asked about that, God answered that it was because of my constitution. As you know, divine power doesn’t work on me. Even when we searched the whole country and brought that rare magician, there was no improvement at all.”

“That’s right.”

Lady Berthold’s eyes reddened as if remembering past hardships.

“He said my body was too weak to even contain divine power. Instead, He said He would share God’s knowledge with me.”

Well, how about that?

It must be very suspicious, but you can’t help but believe it.

Because it’s so plausible.

There’s no way to prove that I heard the words of God.

But I can prove that I received God’s knowledge.

Aren’t all my actions up to now proof of that?

“Such an incredible thing…! Then can’t we drive out that detestable saint right away? After all, Your Majesty the Empress is also a saint!”

Charlotte exclaimed excitedly. Of course, in a very small voice.

I held Charlotte’s hand tightly and shook my head.

“Because I don’t have divine power. The Emperor probably won’t believe me.”

“That’s… unfair. Your Majesty the Empress should be treated as a saint too!”

Charlotte’s eyes blazed. Lady Berthold was the same.

‘Derek seems to have accepted it roughly.’

Phew.

It was worth the acting.

Swallowing a sigh of relief, I opened my mouth.

“Rumors spreading little by little can’t be helped. Because I’ve changed from the past. But I don’t intend to publicly declare myself as a saint.”

“Your Majesty the Empress…”

“What’s important is that this power I’ve gained helps Nix, isn’t it?”

I smiled sadly, like a flower about to wither at any moment.

It was such a fragile appearance that it was impossible to even imagine that the words I had poured out were fake.

“Ah, that reminds me. We need to renovate the Empress’s Palace. I’m going to change the current Valkyrie to the Astaroth Knights and bring them under my direct command.”

After a brief pause, I returned to the main point.

“The grounds of the Empress’s Palace are very large, but since I don’t take walks often anyway, I want to demolish part of the back garden and turn it into a training ground. The uniforms are already there, so that’s taken care of, but we’ll need to build new dormitories. For the time being, they’ll stay at the Empress’s Palace, so Susan, please put some effort into welcoming the guests.”

Comfortable uniforms made of the finest fabrics, boots made of the best leather. Expensive swords made by the best blacksmiths.

And I will guarantee a salary and year-end bonus higher than any other knightly order.

There was no reason for Duke Ahilo not to provide the money, as the expansion of the Empress’s power would greatly benefit the aristocratic faction.

“There will be strong opposition.”

That’s when Derek, who had been keeping his mouth shut all this time, carefully offered his opinion.

“The Emperor’s faction will likely accuse Your Majesty the Empress of trying to meddle with military authority.”

“They probably will. But… you saw earlier, my lord. The Imperial Knights voluntarily pledging their loyalty to me. How can they stop that?”

I smoothly pulled up the corners of my mouth.

“And I’m not afraid of dogs barking.”

It’s an expected course of events for the opposing faction to make a fuss when I try to build up my power.

But if the knights sincerely follow me, what can they do?

Are they going to try to change the imperial law?

“I should send a message to Father asking him to visit tomorrow.”

“Ah, I’ll send it right away!”

Charlotte hurriedly stood up. As she was rushing out, she opened the door and flinched, then stepped back in and raised her hand.

“Um, Your Majesty. Mereum is outside.”

“Tell him to come in. I need to have a word with him.”

Realizing that I meant to have a private audience, Lady Berthold and Derek quietly stood up.

“Are you alright? The head maid went to your room, so I followed.”

“Of course. Why didn’t you let me know you were here?”

“I…”

Mereum hesitated, standing at the doorway.

He probably thought there was no place for him among the four of us – me, Lady Berthold, Charlotte, and Derek.

“You can come to me anytime. You don’t need permission, nor do you need to be mindful.”

“Is that… because I saved your life?”

There was no need to wonder how he knew.

The Spirit King must have told him.

To that, I silently nodded.

“So I’ll do anything for you.”

“Then let me do that.”

“That?”

As I tilted my head, Mereum’s face turned bright red.

Belatedly realizing what he meant, I immediately started teasing Mereum.

“Ah, you mean a goodnight kiss? My goodness. I just woke up, though?”

“…It saves you more, he said. Eldaim.”

“That’s… true.”

Readily admitting it, I held out my hand to Mereum, who was still standing there.

“How sweet of you to wait to give me a kiss. Come here, dear.”

Mereum approached me with slightly staggering steps. Then he clenched his fists and bent his upper body.

It’s just a goodnight kiss that everyone does, why is he so nervous?

Chu.

With the light sensation of touching and separating, the power of the sun rushed into me.

His energy, which melted the frozen ground in an instant, was like the heat of summer.

I was always cold, but when I was with Mereum, the tension in my whole body relaxed and loosened.

“Has the Emperor been treating you that badly all this time?”

Eventually, Mereum, sitting on the mattress, asked me.

Since that was true, I answered even more slowly than when I was lying.

“He has.”

“Wait just a few years. When I grow up… I’ll make sure no one treats you like that.”

The boy’s voice trembled.

It was a very nice thing to hear, but for me, returning to my original state before that was the only primary goal.

‘If only someone worth loving appears…’

I’m not sure if it’s possible to forcibly find someone.

But believing it’s possible was my only hope.

Smack.

In the dark prayer room. A short whip lashed across the broad back.

Made of horsehide, it was hard and tough, ruining a person’s skin with just one strike.

However, the man had already lashed himself dozens of times without making a single groan.

Smack!

As he struck another blow, cold sweat trickled down the man’s jaw.

The smell of blood is overwhelming.

Enrique usually didn’t perform such severe penance.

It’s because he couldn’t afford to disrupt the Emperor’s duties the next day.

But today, he couldn’t hold back.

Because he heard that name.

Astaroth.

The great one he had killed with his own hands.

The Empress wouldn’t have said ‘Astaroth Knights’ without knowing anything.

Surely there was an intention behind that name.

‘She claimed to have received a revelation.’

He couldn’t clearly recall what that irritating face looked like when saying those words.

But the voice alone was vivid in his ears.

That voice saying ‘Astaroth Knights’.

‘Perhaps it was Him who gave her the revelation.’

Aren’t some of the gods believed in polytheistic Quan treated as demons in Nix?

‘But… I killed Him with my own hands. I took His breath away. I did so when told to absorb His power so He couldn’t resurrect.’

By bringing and showing the corpse with exposed horns, he was able to suppress other powerful imperial candidates, including the First Prince, and become the Crown Prince.

Afterwards, he became Emperor with the help of Helene and the power of the temple.

‘I thought I could forget the betrayal I committed.’

Wasn’t that the Emperor he so desperately wanted to become?

Wearing the imperial crown and holding the scepter to reign, everything would be forgotten. It would be alright.

That’s what Helene whispered to him as well.

‘It didn’t become alright at all.’

At some point, Enrique started punishing himself.

When he remembered the kind words He had spoken to him, he tore his skin to make gashes.

When he recalled the appearance of wanting to give him the whole world, he picked up the whip.

He must forget. He must…

After all, isn’t His magic power transformed into holy power residing within him?

The reason he readily agreed when Helene told him to absorb the magic power was because he thought it was a way to remember Him forever.

‘No, to be precise… I thought He would live on together inside me.’