The moment felt like an eternity.

Suddenly, he slightly raised his head and turned his gaze this way.

Our eyes met for barely half a second, but the chilling coldness I felt in that instant froze me in place.

He was definitely a man I knew.

My weak and lovely husband.

The fragile man who shed tears even as he betrayed me.

‘But how could Enrique have such an expression… No, more than that, Enrique is the Emperor?’

How could such a coincidence occur!

All the Emperor’s atrocities that the real Leonarda poured out in her diary flashed through my mind.

Coming to the bedchamber late at night, taking her body, and leaving was the norm. Not speaking a single word to the Empress first during the three hours of a banquet was mild in comparison.

About three months ago, the Emperor had visited a coastal military city with the Holy Maiden. At that time, Leonarda had barely managed to make it to the Imperial Palace just to see the Emperor’s face once.

Even though he must have heard that the Empress was waiting in the reception room, the Emperor only came to the reception room after four hours had passed. When she finally collapsed after enduring for so long, he gave her a contemptuous look and brushed past her.

Unlike demons, humans would normally at least help someone up when they collapse.

And it was written that the Holy Maiden was always by his side.

With that uniquely apologetic expression, slightly drooping her eyebrows.

I couldn’t quite imagine it, but I realized as soon as I saw Helene.

Ah, that’s the exact expression she had when she watched me dying.

As if she was innocent, with her eyes wide open, showing a slightly apologetic look. That nauseating gaze that seemed to say ‘You poor thing’.

I unconsciously gripped the window frame as I stared intently at the giggling Helene.

If only I had magic power, I could crush that bastard right now!

Tearing him to pieces wouldn’t be enough. I wanted to throw his soul into a fiery pit and inflict hundreds of years of suffering.

Creak.

My nails scraped against the window frame. My fragile fingertips immediately began to burn. I could almost grasp the despair Leonarda must have felt.

His mistress, brimming with vitality, unlike the dying Empress.

No matter what, she couldn’t escape the scent of death, but Helene exuded the fragrance of life.

‘The position gained through my death. Are you enjoying wearing the crown stained with my blood?’

As I shifted my gaze from Helene to Enrique, I felt my whole body grow cold as if I’d been hit with ice water.

The shock wasn’t over yet.

‘So this is what it feels like when your blood runs cold.’

His holy power had become so overwhelmingly strong that it felt oppressive even from this distance. It was far beyond what I could approach in my current state.

But I could see the source of that power with my own eyes.

It wasn’t given by God. That… that power is…

‘Mine! It’s mine!’

Humans don’t know this well, but the purest magic and holy power were separated by only the thinnest of margins.

If you absorb magic power and make it your own, you can transform it into holy power. Of course, the reverse is also true.

As long as you’re not consumed by the absorbed energy and can assimilate it…

“I can’t forgive this.”

Not only did you kill me, but you even stole the power I had gathered?

My magic was my pride. It was what made me who I am, and it was more precious to me than my life itself.

‘I will never, ever forgive this.’

My whole body trembles. My chest burns hot. My vision begins to turn red as if lava is surging through me.

“Gasp! P-please spare me. I have three rabbit-like grandchildren to take care of in my old age!”

It was then.

With terrible timing, the old librarian who had come with a map realized the situation and bowed his head, jumping in fright.

I stared down at the path for a long time even after the two figures had disappeared, then asked quietly.

“Am I known to have a violent temperament?”

“Huh? N-no, not particularly.”

“Then why are you so afraid? Do you think I would punish you just because I saw an unpleasant sight?”

I gave a bitter smile and slowly walked away, adjusting the fox fur collar of my coat. Maintaining my dignity by not staggering was my only pride at the moment.

“I’d like the map brought to my bedroom.”

“As you wish.”

Thud.

As soon as I closed the door of the library, I ignored Derek and walked quickly. I just walked without knowing where I was going.

‘Enrique, you only use the women who love you. If you loved Helene, you should have put her on the throne as Empress by any means necessary. Do you feel sorry for me and Leonarda at all?’

You don’t want to fight to put Helene in a noble position, but you want to make love to her?

What about me and Leonarda who were sacrificed for this?

‘Now I understand. Why I was made to possess this body.’

Even in my feverish, confused state, I thought for a long time.

Whether you killed me because of your desires. Whether your ambition for the throne was greater than your love for me.

Or if I was just deceived and you never loved me at all. What I should ask first if we meet again. Whether I should just kill you without asking.

But now I was certain.

‘Either way, it would be right for me to take that position you desired.’

And I should watch you crawl on the ground, begging me for affection and mercy.

“…Ha.”

How far had I walked that I was so out of breath?

As I was panting, I let out a hollow laugh, then realized my cheeks were already wet.

These were not tears of sadness, but tears of anger.

“Your Majesty, did something happen inside?”

As I stopped with my head bowed, a knight with ash-gray eyes carefully approached me. He naturally took out a handkerchief from his breast pocket.

It seems this kind of thing happened often.

“I want to walk alone for a moment.”

“That’s not possible. It’s dangerous. If you were to collapse…”

“It’s an order. Don’t follow me.”

I needed time alone, even if just for a moment. My chest felt like it was being torn apart and I couldn’t bear it.

I gritted my teeth and gave the order. Derek hesitated, then clenched his fist and stood at attention in his place. I left him behind and wandered aimlessly. Before I knew it, I was in a corridor with no sign of people.

Judging by the old tapestries and dust-covered statues here and there, this seems to be some neglected corner of the palace that hasn’t been used for a long time.

These corridors and rooms were abandoned, not used as guest rooms or frequented by servants or maids.

I stared blankly at the dust motes floating in the faint streams of sunlight, then frowned.

The wall was rippling.

I blinked and a tear fell. But even after that, the wall was still undulating.

‘Ah, could this be the entrance to a pocket dimension?’

It would never be visible to ordinary people’s eyes.

The same goes for magicians and priests.

Because these ancient characters inscribed on the wall… were the language of a third world, neither magic nor divine power.

The language of spirits was a mysterious script visible only to those who could read it.

‘This is definitely a spirit king’s pocket dimension. It seems some spirit king cares deeply for their contractor.’

A spirit king’s pocket dimension.

It was a special safety barrier that only spirit kings could create, defying the laws of physics and the natural flow of time, an impenetrable shield that no external force could break.

When the life of a beloved contractor was in danger, spirit kings would intervene in the human world with their power to create such spaces.

‘I wonder if I can enter?’

As I slowly traced the circular ancient script, I began to recite from a certain point in reverse order. Then the characters glowed brightly and an entrance appeared.

Without hesitation, I stepped inside and wrinkled my nose at the familiar fishy smell that dominated the space.

It was the smell of blood.

* * *

Meanwhile, at that time.

Helene was shaking her shoulders with a subtle sense of superiority.

Helene had planted someone in the Empress’s palace from the very day Enrique married the Empress.

She didn’t have much to worry about since the Empress would be gone soon anyway, but she planted someone just in case.

Helene, who received reports on where the Empress went, what she ate, and how she moved, received a note with unusual content today.

It said that the Empress had gone to the Imperial Library.

As this had never happened before, Helene hurriedly went to find Enrique and deliberately set their walking path to pass by the library.

She had many things to figure out, such as whether there was something going on between the two that she didn’t know about, or if Enrique was giving the Empress any leeway.

‘Thank goodness. He’s still not interested.’

Golden hair was visible in the library window.

Enrique glanced towards the library, but only for a moment. Moreover, it was a cold gaze, so Helene was immediately reassured.

The cold and cruel Emperor of the Nix Empire.

The only person in the world who could slip through his cracks was her alone.

Helene, reaffirming her position, hummed a tune and savored her happiness.

“Oh, Your Majesty. About the welcome banquet for this summit meeting. I’ve purchased all the necessary items. I’ve also checked everything thoroughly.”

“As I’ve always said, first ask the Empress’s palace about the main framework of the banquet.”

“Tsk. Nini will just say to do as I like anyway. Do I really have to ask? I tried to contact her before, but the Empress didn’t even reply.”