The Empress' Scandalous Paramour - Chapter 43

At the same time, Helene’s divine power made a whooshing sound and extinguished.

Her divine power had become too weak due to repeatedly committing evil acts on her own.

“…Yes.”

Helene finally answered.

Then, a sharp laughter was heard from somewhere.

It was like dozens of mirrors shattering at once, causing Helene to clutch her head and collapse.

“Kyaak!”

But Bellifor did not gently catch her.

A demon’s gentleness is like a mirage that only lasts until they get what they want.

Eventually, the evil magical energy flowing from the demon Bellifor’s entire body filled the bedroom.

Unfortunately, no one knew this fact.

“Waaah!”

In the southern part of the empire, Hart Bay.

The entire area was now completely immersed in a festive atmosphere.

From yesterday, a super-sized cruise ship has been floating on the vast sea, showcasing its grandeur.

People who saw such a large ship for the first time were extremely excited, and newsboy vendors swiftly weaved through the crowds, shouting loudly.

“News with pictures of the concubine selection candidates!”

“Buy it! Buy the news!”

Commoners who made it as concubine candidates were greatly moved and desperate to inform everyone of this honor for generations to come. So it was a perfect match with the news reporters who wanted to publish something in this opportunity.

Some concubine candidates even gave interviews, putting on airs as if they had already become concubines.

People who were so curious about what would happen on the ship naturally cheered and bought the news, discussing who was more handsome.

And on the outskirts of Hart Bay. Somewhat distant from the center but popular among nobles who value security, twelve actors just finished preparations on the top floor of a hotel.

“These are the knights in charge of escort today. There are guards here and there, but in case of any incident, knights will also be disguised and infiltrated. Memorize their faces well now.”

I calmly spoke while looking around at the actors.

“It’s okay if you don’t remember their faces. They’ll all be wearing this badge on their chest, so ask for protection if anything dangerous happens.”

“Yes!”

The first rule of this concubine selection:

The concubine candidates cannot know who the real empress is.

Logically, I only have one body and couldn’t talk to all those candidates.

Moreover, if too much attention was focused on me, even if there were no assassins, fights could break out among the candidates, endangering everyone.

So I found twelve actors similar to me in height, build, voice, and face.

They have been staying secretly in the empress’s palace for the past month, learning my speech and behavior, and on this cruise, everyone could act as if they were the empress.

“I’ll give you the bedroom keys now, so keep them safe. Or you can entrust them to the maid who will serve you. If you got a first-class bedroom, there will be maids from the empress’s palace. But be careful if you got other grade rooms. There are no spare keys, so if you lose them, there’s no way to open them.”

At my gesture, Sir Giovanni held up an opaque wooden box in front of the actors.

The actors reached into the box to take out keys, but unfortunately, not everyone could stay in first class.

That’s because it’s the second rule of this concubine selection.

The actors’ bedrooms are arranged from first to third class cabins. Candidates don’t know which one is the real empress’s room.

In other words, it’s like this.

The concubine candidates have no way of knowing if the person they talked to is the empress or not.

Everything that happens on the ship is just a midsummer night’s dream.

‘And the final rule.’

Every morning, dropouts are selected.

If classified as a dropout, they must leave the ship immediately.

It’s no use refusing. The knights will drag them out.

Of course, the criteria for becoming a dropout was my heart.

How could I take someone as a concubine if I don’t feel like loving them?

“Your Majesty, I’ve brought what you ordered. The clothes too…”

At that moment, Charlotte approached with a very troubled face.

I chuckled and turned around.

It was time for me to get ready too.

“Are you really going like this…?”

“Isn’t it a surprising idea?”

“That’s true, but… how can such a noble person…”

Charlotte mumbled as she dressed me.

Among those actors outside, some wore dresses so flashy even I would be disgusted.

When I told them they could keep whatever they received from me after this was over, there was even an actor who asked for jewels to be attached to every fold of the dress.

But what I was actually going to wear wasn’t particularly eye-catching.

With a common-colored wig on top, even my appearance looks quite ordinary.

My eyes are arrogantly upturned, but there were many such actors among them too.

“Nothing will happen.”

“If they find out that Your exalted Majesty is dressed like this, the head maid will try to kill me…”

Charlotte made a crying face.

Head maid Mrs. Berthold couldn’t come here as she had to manage the overall empress’s palace on my behalf. It was fortunate for me.

“Well, she did look extremely worried when seeing us off.”

“I want to get on the ship too. What if someone dares to act rudely just by looking at Your Majesty’s outfit?!”

Charlotte huffed as if just imagining it was terrible. I patted her shoulder to calm her down.

“That’s why I’m leaving you behind. You wouldn’t leave my side.”

“Hng… but still…”

“It’s good that I learned self-defense from the knights. If anything happens, I can protect myself too.”

That’s right. For the past few years, I’ve made tearful efforts to somehow turn this wretched body into a normal one.

From the middle, it became much easier thanks to Mereum bringing the magic core, as combining lifespan and magic power created a synergy effect.

On top of that, I exercised consistently to build up stamina, and now I could withstand even sea breezes without flinching.

“Call Paivel. We should start moving soon.”

After soothing Charlotte, I put on a plain robe and pressed the hood down firmly to hide what I was wearing. No one should see what I’m wearing.

This was top secret information that only Charlotte, who brought me the clothes, and Paivel, who would take me to the ship, should know.

‘Anyway, most of the concubine candidates are commoners or local nobles. There’s hardly anyone who has seen the empress directly.’

Of course. Why would someone become a concubine if they were a high-ranking noble or child of a powerful person?

Only those of low status try to become royal concubines.

I was confident they wouldn’t recognize me.

‘Neither the empress’s palace knights nor maids… nor Mereum.’

The disguise is perfect.

Mereum has already boarded the ship in the morning to check security, so he doesn’t know what clothes the actors are wearing or how.

‘He’ll try to find me, but it’ll be difficult!’

With Mereum’s interference, I wouldn’t be able to find a lovable partner.

That was also one of the reasons for hiring actors.

To be free, at least on that ship.

I was curious too, whether a new love would strike like lightning.

“By the way, master. Can’t we just eat them up?”

Amidst the cheers of countless crowds, all 365 men boarded the cruise ship.

Some showed very nervous gestures, some were trembling, and on the contrary, some were smiling leisurely and waving their hands.

I tilted my head at Paivel’s question as I watched the scene from a carriage parked far from the dock.

“Who? Those guys?”

“Ehei, you’re pretending not to know again.”

Paivel clicked his tongue.

I wanted to flick his forehead for such an impertinent action, but that would only hurt my hand.

Paivel sat in a slouched posture as if he had no spine and moved his mouth.

“Honestly, lately he’s been looking at you with eyes begging to be eaten. Or eyes wanting to eat you.”

“……”

“I’m talking about that desert guy.”

When I kept pretending not to know until the end, Paivel twisted his own hair in frustration.

“Above all, don’t you like that guy too, master? You could have just loved him passionately and received his heart as the price of love. If you asked for his heart as a contract condition, he seemed like he would give it.”

“…That’s why I don’t like it. I don’t want to receive devotion. Besides, he’s young.”

“Young? He’s overflowing with male energy, all grown up.”

Having no way to win against Paivel with words, I closed my mouth.

He wasn’t wrong. If we only consider it rationally, that’s right.

Saying I don’t want to kill him is all just an excuse.

It would have been faster to do as my sisters said and stain the dagger with Mereum’s blood rather than doing this troublesome thing.

“At first, I thought you didn’t like that guy much. But as time passed… to my eyes, it seems like you’re trying hard to distance yourself from him on purpose, that’s what I mean.”

“……”

“I did suggest holding a concubine selection, but it seems like there was no need to hold it…”

All candidates have boarded the ship.

Soon, the ship will leave the dock and move onto the blue sea.

I had to start moving too.

“Well. This time, someone suitable might appear.”

“I’m just doing as you wish, master… but are you really bothered about killing a young one who loves you?”

Love.

Honestly, at this age, if I couldn’t notice someone being head over heels for me, that would be incredibly stupid.

Especially for a demon like me who is good at reading others’ desires, how could I not know?

The flame quietly burning inside Mereum.

And I knew well why Paivel was bringing this up.

“If this time, even after doing this, you can’t find a substitute, what will you do?”

The low question was quite serious.

I know what words I should answer to my loyal subordinate who gave half of his magic core.

Unusually for me, I hesitated before slowly opening my mouth.

“First, I’ll try to love… then I’ll have to kill.”