A dark night, in the Empress’s Palace.

Screams were incessant inside, hidden by darkness.

“P-please spare me, Your Majesty the Empress!”

A maid with a broken forehead desperately rubbed her hands.

But her mistress showed no mercy.

“How dare a mere beast make noise!”

“I-I was wrong. Please… please…!”

Thwack-!

“…Aaagh!”

The silver candlestick wielded by Wayeno hit the maid’s forehead.

The maid did not get up again. The waiting palace attendants dragged out the unconscious maid.

The luxurious room was in disarray.

This was the third person carried out of the Empress’s bedroom today.

Still unable to quell her anger, Wayeno panted for a long while.

“How dare that bastard mock me?!”

She had personally tried to set up a woman for that filthy, lowly man.

The Duke came to the meeting place the Empress had arranged for him, then left without a word.

‘I even gave the Emperor advance notice. I alone was made a fool!’

Wayeno was acting as a kind and gentle woman in front of the Emperor. That was his preference.

‘Your Majesty, I intend to find a suitable match for the Duke. It seems pitiful for him to be alone his whole life.’

‘…Do as you wish. It is also the Empress’s duty to find suitable companions for members of the Imperial family.’

Arranging marriages for Imperial family members of marriageable age was one of the Empress’s privileges.

Rumors were already circulating in social circles that the Empress was arranging a match for the Duke.

But.

‘What is the meaning of this?’

The night the Duke ruined his appointment with the Empress, saying he had a lover,
The Emperor came to Wayeno and blamed her.

‘To force someone who already has a partner.’

‘…Your Majesty? What do you mean?’

‘That child came to me personally. He said the Empress forced a marriage meeting on him even though he explained he had someone to marry. Why did you do such a thing?’

Wayeno was at a loss for words at the Emperor’s incredulous attitude. This was news to her.

The next day, rumors spread through social circles that the Duke was constantly sending gifts to the Cold Palace.

At every party, all anyone talked about was the Empress, the Duke, and the Duke’s hidden lover.

‘Have you heard? The Empress made the Duke’s lover cry.’

‘I hear the lover is a maid in the Cold Palace. He’s been sending gifts day and night to beg forgiveness.’

‘I know more details about that. Actually… the Duke had a hidden lover, but the Empress tried to match him with a woman to her own liking.’

‘Ah, so that’s how this all happened.’

‘The Empress has always shown unusual interest in the Duke’s business ventures. And the woman she tried to introduce was from the Enders Count family.’

Everyone knew the Enders were allied with the Empress’s faction.

Rumors spread that Empress Wayeno was a villainess trying to use the Count’s daughter to seize the Duke’s power.

Moreover, the problem caused unilaterally by the Enders Count’s daughter dealt a fatal blow to Wayeno.

‘My goodness, it seems the Empress couldn’t give up even after things came to this.’

‘I hear the Empress had Lady Jeiana meet with the Duke. The Duke’s lover appeared and cried pitifully. The Duke kissed his crying lover to comfort her… ahem.’

‘Just a kiss? There are widespread rumors they’re already married!’

The love story of the century. And star-crossed lovers at that.

‘Moreover, I hear the Duke’s lover has been devotedly caring for the unfortunate princes.’

‘She can’t leave the palace because of the princes. That’s why the Duke is coming to the palace.’

The princes, abandoned in the cold palace, were once again on people’s lips thanks to the Duke’s lover.

‘Oh my, what an angelic person! Her name is Eileen Hallen, you say?’

The only woman to embrace the children even the Emperor had turned his back on.

As rumors about Eileen spread like wildfire, the Empress’s reputation plummeted by the day.

“Why did they give that bastard the title of Duke?!”

Unable to contain her boiling rage, Wayeno’s body trembled.

How much humiliation had she endured to ascend to the position of Empress?

“I should have died with that woman back then…! How dare, how dare they…!”

Former Empress Viviana.

She was a perfect woman befitting an Empress, with a gentle nature and love for the people.

The Emperor loved Empress Viviana. Until she went mad.

Empress Viviana shut herself in the palace, rejecting both the Emperor and the child she bore.

Wayeno, who was a concubine then, saw this as an opportunity.

Wayeno visited the ostracized Viviana daily, pretending to be a close friend, and told the Emperor she would try to be the connection between them.

‘Your Majesty, it seems the Empress is possessed by a demon.’

Wayeno whispered to the troubled Emperor. The Empress who even the Emperor didn’t recognize was no different from a devil.

After years of effort, an opportunity arose for Wayeno.

‘The Forbidden Book.’

Initially, the plan was to kill Kashar with this sorcery and pin the blame on Viviana.

But the sorcery failed, and Kashar, who should have died, went berserk and killed palace servants.

A madman cannot become Emperor.

Using this as a pretext, Wayeno branded Kashar and Viviana as demons and succeeded in deposing them both.

Viviana died imprisoned in a tower, and Wayeno ascended as Empress.

But the fact that Viviana’s bloodline still lived made her uneasy.

‘That wench must have something.’

The maid that Kashar revealed as the woman he had been hiding.

There was no way those two could really be lovers.

‘How is that madman maintaining his sanity? Why is he keeping that woman by his side?’

Everything needed to be investigated secretly.

The Emperor preferred gentle and kind women. She might be able to recover her image this once, but any more than that could incur the Emperor’s displeasure.

‘The Tuberosha’s party was coming up.’

In the afternoon, Marchioness Tuberosha had whispered that she had invited the abandoned princes to the Oloje party.

Recalling this, the Empress picked up her pen without hesitation.

The letter to the Marchioness contained an order to invite Eileen Hallen, the princes’ nanny.

‘I need to see that impudent face for myself.’

Bloodshot eyes filled Wayeno’s gaze.

Those serving her tensed, wondering if someone else would be carried out.

“Your Majesty the Empress, Crown Prince Valentide and Seventh Prince Michael request an audience.”

Wayeno raised her head at the voice from beyond the door.

She hastily made herself presentable and went outside.

In the reception room, a man with reddish-gold hair and purple eyes was waiting for Wayeno.

“Oh, my son Valentide!”

Wayeno tightly embraced Crown Prince Valentide.

As if she had never been in a rage, her face was filled with a bright smile.

“I came rushing when I heard you were unwell, Mother. Are you alright?”

“Ah, Valentide. You’re all this mother has. I’ve been so upset by these strange rumors.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t believe such rumors. That evil Duke must have spread them to tarnish your reputation.”

Wayeno teared up at these reassuring words.

But something bothered her eyes.

Wayeno turned her gaze to the one behind Valentide.

Seventh Prince Michael. The second son born to Empress Wayeno.

“Why have you come?”

Michael’s shoulders shrank at the cold words.

A smaller build than the Crown Prince. His silver-white hair and deep blue eyes made Michael look like a glass doll.

Michael’s face saddened as he murmured softly.

“I was also worried about Mother…”

“Stop talking nonsense and focus on assisting Valentide. That is your duty and mission!”

Wayeno’s attitude toward Valentide and Michael was completely different.

This was due to the Emperor’s changed attitude since she became pregnant with her second child.

‘If only I hadn’t given birth to that child, I would have looked 10 years younger!’

After Wayeno gave birth to Michael, the Emperor distanced himself from sharing her bed.

Wayeno thought the reason he distanced himself was the aftereffects of giving birth to her second child, and soon became anxious. And all the repercussions were directed at Michael.

Moreover, the youngest prince seemed to have stolen all of Wayeno’s beauty, he was so beautiful.

No wonder Michael’s nickname was ‘Glass Rose’.

‘Glass Rose, my foot. A half-wit without even the abilities of royalty.’

Wayeno sneered coldly.

Even now as an adult, Michael had yet to manifest any royal abilities.

Be it magic, physical abilities, or any other powers.

“Useless thing.”

This was what Wayeno always said when she saw Michael.

Michael obediently bowed his head.

His mother was like an unchanging cliff when dealing with him. On top of that, Michael himself lacked royal abilities, so he always lived timidly.

“Valentide, have a cup of tea with your mother.”

Wayeno linked arms with Valentide and guided him to their seats.

While the two shared an intimate conversation, Michael was still standing in that spot.

Valentide glanced briefly at Michael.

In that brief moment their eyes met.

Hmph. Valentide sneered at Michael. As if to say, that is your rightful place.

“…”

Michael just stared at the floor.

And so, each of their nights deepened.

A week had passed since signing the fake lover contract.

One week before the Oloje party.

I was worried if any problems would arise, but Kashar was quicker.

“Lady Eileen, a guest has arrived.”

“Okay! I’ll be right out!”

There was no need to ask who the guest Emma mentioned was.

Rushing outside, I saw a black carriage blocking the main gate.

‘Red snake emblem.’

The snake emblem engraved on the carriage was the symbol of House Bladis.

Soon the carriage door opened and Kashar appeared.

“Welcome!”

“I’m glad you’re welcoming me.”

When our eyes met, Kashar narrowed his eyes as if surprised.

Of course I was glad to see him. There was something I had been waiting for with bated breath.

“Of course I’ve been waiting.”

My eyes were drawn to the brown envelope in his hand.

Noticing my gaze, he waved the envelope. My eyes and head moved this way and that following his hand movements.

Kashar’s eyes narrowed.

“It doesn’t seem like you were waiting for me.”

“Oh come on, why say such hurtful things? You have no idea how much I’ve missed you, Duke.”

I’ve been waiting for your beauty and muscles!

When I smiled brightly with sincerity, the corners of his mouth curled up in response.

“Really?”

“Of course!”

While I nodded my head vigorously, the documents flew high into the air.

‘This guy!’

No matter how I stretched, I couldn’t reach them.

In the end, I heard laughter as I stood on my tiptoes.

As I strained with all my might in frustration, my body tilted instead.

“Ah-!”

Then I properly smashed my nose into his chest.

I grimaced, clutching my reddened nose. Were this guy’s chest muscles made of iron? It hurt so much I thought I might bleed.

“If you wanted a hug, you should have just said so.”

Kashar laughed mischievously as he embraced me from behind.

‘Back hug.’

The arm around my waist was so firm not even a needle could penetrate. At this, my heart leapt once again.

They say those who have tasted food know it best. My body, still unaccustomed to contact with a handsome man, was having an abnormal reaction.

Then I heard squealing exclamations near my ear.

‘The maids?’

Maids from other palaces were looking this way as they passed by the back road.

“Oh my, oh my goodness…”

The maids who hurriedly hid behind trees peeked out with just their eyes to watch us.

These gazes I couldn’t get used to, now or before. But they were also things I would have to get accustomed to in the future.

I squeezed my eyes shut and shouted inwardly.

‘Enjoy it, Eileen. You have to enjoy this!’

This very moment, that is.