It was surely an awkward question she was about to ask. Even though Celia had been released from prison, she still couldn’t possibly be cleared of the accusation of attempting to assassinate the Emperor.
Dietrich read the Empress’s mind, but it was glaringly clear that stepping forward here would only worsen the situation.
Once the commotion settled, the Empress would undoubtedly try to throw Celia back into prison, fabricating even nonexistent crimes. The Empress Dietrich knew was precisely the kind of person who would do just that.
How, then, would Celia escape this predicament? With an official exile order already issued, staying here longer would only earn Dietrich the Empress’s wrath.
“…As Your Majesty commands, I shall temporarily withdraw.”
Just before leaving the room, Dietrich glanced back at Celia. She had already lifted her head and was sitting upright with perfect posture.
With a sharp *click*, the door closed. In the room now remained only the Empress, her maids, and Celia.
“I said we’d be two, but speaking privately with a criminal accused of assassinating the Emperor is rather risky, don’t you think?”
The Empress forced a kind smile toward Celia.
“Do you understand what I mean?”
The Empress did not believe the rumors circulating that Celia had been framed. She had only temporarily released her to avoid inciting the angry masses. To the Empress, Celia was an irritant, as bothersome as a splinter beneath the fingernail.
She would have been better off dying alongside the Emperor.
If only Dietrich’s knight had taken advantage of the Emperor’s funeral to dispose of Celia somehow, she wouldn’t have had to go through all this trouble.
The Empress had not only silently approved of the knight’s intended misconduct but had even promised not to hold him accountable for whatever he did. Yet, contrary to her wishes, Celia had neither lost her purity nor died.
And now, because she was alive, complications arose.
The Empress concealed her dark intentions and smiled sweetly at Celia.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Responding obediently, Celia prompted the Empress to continue.
“You must be uncomfortable standing. Please sit on the sofa across from me.”
Celia sat down as instructed, opposite the Empress.
“Won’t you have some refreshments?”
“Thank you for the offer, but I’m fine. I was told Your Majesty summoned me to speak.”
The Empress’s eyes darkened. She had intended to lace the refreshments with a lethal poison—one that wouldn’t take effect immediately, but days later. The Empress possessed large quantities of such delayed-acting toxins.
But poison wasn’t limited to just the refreshments.
The Empress glanced at the tea in her own cup and smiled faintly.
“I recently imported an expensive tea from the Eastern Continent. It has a rich flavor and is quite delicious.”
“….”
“I’ll make an exception and offer you a cup.”
Celia sensed the Empress’s sinister intent—someone who called her a criminal yet kept offering her things. She had already refused once; refusing a second time might lead to unpredictable consequences.
“In that case, I gratefully accept.”
“Ah, that’s better. Bring the flower tea at once—use the freshest batch.”
“Yes.”
The maid quickly returned carrying a tray with a teapot and two teacups. Celia quietly observed as the maid poured the tea.
Steam rose gently from the tea, in which yellow blossoms floated, just as the name suggested.
“Here, drink.”
Celia alternated her gaze between her own cup and the Empress’s. Though both appeared to contain the same flower tea, upon closer inspection, the tea in her cup seemed noticeably darker.
‘I clearly saw it poured from the same teapot. Is there some kind of mechanism inside?’
Having endured numerous threats while living at the Viscount’s estate, Celia was extremely sensitive to such details.
Someone else might have accepted the tea without suspicion.
“…Your Majesty isn’t drinking?”
At Celia’s question, the Empress smiled with narrowed eyes. But she couldn’t hide the malice within them—or rather, she never intended to hide it in the first place.
“Surely you don’t suspect me of putting something in this tea?”
Such blatant hostility. Celia smiled innocently, pretending to know nothing, and replied.
“Of course not, Your Majesty. I’ve never seen such a beautiful tea in my life. It’s almost a shame to drink it.”
Celia answered, holding the teacup in her hand. The Empress watched her closely.
“As far as I know, the Brillion Viscount’s household is so overflowing with wealth that their warehouses are bursting at the seams.”
On the surface, the Empress’s words seemed casual, but their true meaning was a sneer—how could someone from such a wealthy family have never tasted proper tea?
Celia well understood this kind of double-speak. It was the exact conversational tactic Gabriel, who shared no blood with her, frequently used.
“Ultimately, that wealth belongs to the Brillion Viscount’s household, not to me.”
Celia deliberately gave a vague answer.
“But you are still a member of the Brillion household, are you not? Even if you are an adopted daughter.”
Instead of answering, Celia lowered her head slightly, her hand holding the teacup trembling imperceptibly. The Empress studied her.
“There must be something you can’t speak of. Since you are a criminal, you must tell me everything without concealment.”
“…How could I ever lie to Your Majesty?”
“Then let me ask one thing first. Is it true that you attempted to assassinate His Majesty the Emperor?”
Celia stared back at the Empress. To ask such a question while already believing her guilty—it was perverse.
“Yes.”
The Empress, perhaps surprised by the answer, shook the teacup in her hand.
“Did you just now admit to assassinating the Emperor?”
“How could I lie to Your Majesty at this point?”
“…Is there no hidden accomplice? Did you act alone?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“The men outside the palace would faint if they heard this. They were so certain you were framed.”
Listening to the Empress, Celia began to understand the shifting tides. During her time at the Viscount’s estate, the men who saw her worshipped her, calling her something noble, something pure.
But beneath that worship always lay base desire.
Every man who fell for her at first sight had openly coveted her. Whispering honeyed words, they claimed they were different from other men.
Yet, given any chance, they all tried to take advantage of her.
Claiming to fall in love at first sight. Claiming to love her.
Was this truly how one treated someone they loved? If they truly loved her, wouldn’t they cherish her instead?
Like her king father had done for her, like she had done for her pet parrot, Popo.
That day, a highly esteemed archbishop had visited the Viscount’s estate to see Celia. After spending the donation money the faithful had given to the temple just for the chance to meet her, he didn’t hide his lewd gaze.
When they were left alone, the archbishop attempted to grope her. Out of sheer curiosity, Celia had asked him before using her power.
His answer was absurd.
Wouldn’t she remember him for life if he took her virginity?
What expression would she make if the so-called angel of Brillion became entangled with him? Even if she came to hate him, wouldn’t that hatred feel endearing?
Though it was a blasphemous act, if he committed it, he could sincerely repent to the gods afterward, and the sin would be washed away—while he himself would remain in her memory.
Celia recalled the faceless man and allowed a faint smile to touch her lips—a fleeting, mist-like smile.
“It is true I was framed, but what they say is not the truth.”
The Empress found the statement difficult to comprehend. Frowning, she asked.
“You claim you killed the Emperor yet were framed, and now say their words aren’t true. Then what part of your story is actually true?”
“I was forcibly taken to the Emperor’s chamber by members of my own household. Thus, I was framed. And to protect myself, I killed the Emperor with my own hands—so yes, I did kill him.”
To speak so calmly about killing the Emperor. Did she think so little of the Empress that she’d lie so boldly? Or was it the truth?
‘Whether it’s true or not, I cannot allow you to continue walking side by side with Dietrich.’
Instead of revealing her thoughts, the Empress took a sip from her teacup.
Then, she offered Celia tea once again.
“Come, drink while it’s still warm, and let us talk further.”
“….”
The Empress had drunk first and now personally offered her tea. Celia had no right to refuse.
As Celia brought the cup to her lips, she didn’t miss the slight relaxation at the corner of the Empress’s mouth.
Celia pretended to fumble and dropped the teacup. With a sharp *clink*, it shattered on the floor.
“!”
Anger flashed in the Empress’s eyes.
“I’ve committed a crime worthy of death. The tea Your Majesty gave me…!”
Before the Empress could speak, Celia prostrated herself on the floor, bowing her head.
The Empress glared at her as if ready to bite her head off.
“It’s fine. Get up. Just bring a new cup.”
The Empress immediately ordered her maid to fetch a new teacup.
“You surely won’t make the same mistake again? Especially not with tea I personally poured.”
As she spoke, the Empress poured tea directly into the cup. The teapot had an internal mechanism separating poisoned tea from safe tea.
Pressing the blunt part on the inner side of the handle released the poisoned tea; not pressing it released the clean tea. This teapot was a gift from Ileon to the Empress.
Confirming Celia had taken the cup, the Empress wore a victorious smile.
“Drink. Surely you don’t think I put something in it?”
There was no way out now. She had to drink.
Just as Celia raised the cup to her lips, a voice came from beyond the door.
“Mother, it’s me.”
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
