“…Was that also done by Her Majesty the Empress?”
“Yes.”
Frowning deeply as I pieced together various scenarios in my head, Hillstain Mathias gently brushed my hair back while observing my expression.
“I’m not siding with anyone, but let’s consider an example.”
I stared at him with a quiet face.
“Lady Latieana Merigold, you care for His Grace, correct? Now, imagine that from this very day, for the next twenty years, every single person in the world told you this.”
“What would they say?”
“That His Grace has another woman.”
“…”
At the mere thought of this unpleasant hypothesis, my brows furrowed. Seeing me, Hillstain chuckled softly.
“Of course, the bond between Lady Latieana and His Grace is very strong and affectionate. But it’s not just a day or two—it’s a full twenty years. Imagine everyone around you kept saying it, day after day. His Grace has already told you there’s no such woman. Then one day, you see a woman with His Grace.”
“…”
“Let’s exaggerate a bit—imagine you witness them about to kiss. Can you honestly say you wouldn’t waver even slightly, wouldn’t harbor even the slightest suspicion toward His Grace? Even if that kiss was actually a misunderstanding—perhaps he was just trying to brush off dust?”
It felt like my breath was being cut off.
I remembered Killian Dietrich at the dinner table, brushing glass shards from his hand and wiping blood with a napkin.
‘I want him to suffer. I want him to feel betrayal as deeply as I did.’
His gaze had been dark, as if sinking deep beneath the water’s surface.
His voice, chilling enough to raise goosebumps, seemed to echo in my ears.
Why didn’t Edan just say ‘no’?
Did he think Killian wouldn’t notice Ciela’s lie?
“You also said they were once deeply affectionate brothers.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t understand. Then why didn’t Edan just confess honestly to His Highness the Crown Prince? Why didn’t he say anything?”
Hillstain gripped the ivy winding around the pergola pillar, swaying in the night breeze.
“Trust built amid insecurity is like thin glass—it often shatters with just the slightest provocation.”
The vine coiled around his large hand snapped with a soft crack.
“That trust became poison between them.”
Hillstain opened his palm and let the limp vine fall with a rustle to the ground.
Then he crushed it under his shoe and sat down on the bench inside the pergola.
“Honestly, I’ve often found His Highness Killian’s attitude astonishing. It’s not easy to steadfastly protect and care for your younger brother’s life when everyone in the world predicts betrayal.”
As he spoke, Hillstain patted the space beside him, signaling me to sit—but I shook my head.
“He was originally a gentle-hearted person. Though he possesses the imperial qualities needed to perfectly conceal that gentleness, emperors of such lineage are inevitably betrayed. Of course, I don’t feel His Highness Killian is quite that weak—but compared to Duke Edan, he is indeed more tender-hearted. Surprisingly sentimental.”
“The Crown Prince?”
Seeing my widened, surprised eyes, Hillstain smiled amusedly.
“His education as Crown Prince since childhood included selecting an Empress. Emperors marry for advantage, not love—just as His Majesty Emperor Julius and Her Majesty Empress Henzela did. Princess Ciela lacked the strength and capability required of a Crown Prince’s consort. Naturally, she failed to impress Her Majesty the Empress. Yet His Highness Killian chose Princess Ciela anyway.”
“So he chose emotion over reason.”
“Yes. That’s precisely why Her Majesty the Empress was especially wary of His Grace.”
“Why…?”
“Duke Edan is naturally cold-tempered—he follows reason over emotion. He smiles in front of Her Majesty the Empress, even though rumors say she killed his mother. He remains rationally loyal to His Majesty the Emperor, who once abandoned him as a child. He could have vanished from the Empire entirely, yet he devotedly defends the North.”
“Then… did Her Majesty the Empress believe Crown Prince Killian, being tender-hearted, would be defeated by Edan?”
“Not defeated—rather, she believed he would someday suffer humiliation. Just as she herself felt wretchedness toward Edan’s biological mother.”
My chest ached.
Killian eventually collapsed. He’d spent his whole life hearing suspicions about Edan.
But isn’t this situation terribly unfair?
They trusted each other—yet ended up like this over mere slander.
A cold wind blew across the garden, stinging my eyes.
Edan must have felt the same. He’d declared he’d always stand by his elder brother—yet saw that brother doubt him, waver, and must have felt deeply disappointed. He likely thought, ‘She lied, yet you trusted her over me, who was always sincere.’
Empress Henzela and Princess Ciela cunningly exploited both men’s emotions.
“So what exactly was Princess Ciela after?”
“Hm?”
“Who did she truly love?”
Hillstain feigned contemplation, gazing into the air before turning his eyes back to me.
“I don’t know that myself. But at least until the moment she was exiled from the Empire, she insisted she loved Duke Edan.”
I couldn’t help letting out a hollow laugh.
Is she insane? After pulling such a stunt, she still expects Edan to help her?
Seeing me frowning and laughing, Hillstain stood up from his seat.
“Did that answer your question? In any case, if you put yourself in His Highness Killian’s shoes, you’d understand why he inevitably felt betrayed by His Grace. And the two people who could have clarified everything—Her Majesty the Empress and Princess Ciela—have kept their mouths tightly shut.”
As if he’d finished his duty, Hillstain strode forward with his long legs until he stood right before me.
“Isn’t it fascinating? Her Majesty the Empress achieved everything she wanted without lifting a finger.”
“Fascinating…?”
I looked up at him and grinned.
“Lord Hillstain.”
“Yes?”
“Come a bit closer.”
Hillstain’s blinking eyes brightened with amusement. Slowly, he leaned his upper body forward, bringing his face near mine.
“Yes. As close as you like…!”
Thud. I drove my fist into Hillstain’s jaw with all my strength.
“…”
As if his body had malfunctioned, Hillstain remained frozen for a long moment, head thrown backward.
Slowly, I withdrew my fist.
“You said two people could reveal the truth? You’re one of them!”
I shouted, rubbing my knuckles. What kind of jawbone is this? My hand hurts more than his face.
Hillstain’s head gradually lowered back into place.
Our eyes met—and I snapped at him once more.
“You’re the worst. You knew everything and said nothing.”
“Hmm. True.”
Hillstain lightly rubbed his jaw. He showed no sign of injury whatsoever.
“But I am Her Majesty the Empress’s man. I only told you these things because you’re Lady Latieana. Aren’t I worthy of praise?”
“If you want praise, why not try being a little nicer?”
“Fair point. By the way, Lady Latieana, you’re lovely even when angry.”
Having delivered what I wanted to hear, Hillstain grabbed my wrist and casually licked the inside—apparently indifferent to what came next.
“Let go of th—!”
“Release her.”
Ssssh— A sharp sword, glinting in the moonlight, approached Hillstain’s neck.
“Lord Ruben!”
“I’ll cut if you don’t let go.”
Hah. With an irritated sigh, Hillstain released my arm.
“How annoying, Ruben. Do you want to die?”
I just told you to behave nicely—does this man have no capacity for remorse?!
I swung my fist at Hillstain once more.
Thud!
[This is the timeline separator]It was an unusually clear day. Brilliant sunlight bathed every corner of the Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Citadel, adorned with magnificent carvings, saw dozens of carriages arriving since morning.
They belonged to the Empire’s most prestigious noble houses—families so distinguished their ranks were indistinguishable, all deeply connected to and supportive of the Empress’s faction.
Elderly heads of these houses, dressed in resplendent garments, marched proudly into the council chamber.
The palace servants’ eyes darted rapidly, counting the nobles ascending the stairs.
Inside the vast rectangular council chamber stood an extremely long rectangular table.
“His Grace the Duke of Ford enters!”
“His Lordship the Count of Betenbewing enters!”
The names of nobles passing through the grand doors echoed thunderously.
They found their assigned seats with practiced ease, quickly filling two-thirds of the table.
Just as their murmured conversations grew louder, the council chamber doors opened again.
“His Majesty Julius Dietrich, the Sun of the Great Empire, enters!”
At those words, the scraping of chairs vibrated through the chamber.
The nobles fell silent, all eyes fixed on the entrance.
The Emperor, draped in a long cloak embroidered with white fur and spots, walked solemnly forward, leaning on a ceremonial staff.
Beside him stood Empress Henzela.
A few steps behind was Princess Ciela of the Eastern Empire.
Wearing a diamond crown so enormous it seemed liable to snap her neck, the Empress radiated such presence that the young princess beside her nearly vanished. Her long eyelashes lowered slightly, her crimson lips curved gently upward—exuding innate confidence and grace.
Once the Emperor and Empress took their seats, the Princess sat belatedly—right beside the Empress.
“Will His Grace Duke Edan not be attending?”
One noble seated at the far right end, gauging the atmosphere, asked.
The Emperor, seeing the Empress’s eyes slowly blink, answered.
“He said he’d come, so he will. Let us begin.”
The Emperor sank deeply into his high-backed chair. One noble, exchanging glances with others, spoke up—their gazes directed at Princess Ciela.
“Your Majesty, do you intend to accept the political marriage with the Eastern Empire?”
The Emperor’s loosely seated brows twitched.
“Wasn’t this matter already agreed upon by all of you?”
The nobles’ eyes flashed momentarily toward the Empress—then, as if by mutual agreement, they declared in unison:
“No. We all oppose this marriage.”
The Emperor’s eyes widened in shock—while the Empress’s gaze toward the nobles shifted perceptibly.
A matter that should have been unanimously approved had been overturned.
“What absurd nonsense…!”
The Empress’s long, elegant fingers tightened fiercely around her water glass. Beside her, Princess Ciela’s pupils trembled ceaselessly.
“His Highness Edan Dietrich, Second Imperial Prince, enters!”
The council chamber doors swung open.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
