What about you, Killian? Don’t you smell anything?

Killian quietly tilted his head, puzzled, then shook it side to side.

“No.”

I furrowed my eyes. I glanced at the knights standing guard at the castle entrance, but they too seemed completely unaffected.

This is seriously not a joke… How can they not notice this awful stench? Is it only me? Once I became aware of it, the smell seemed to grow even stronger. But I couldn’t pinpoint its source. In the meantime, Killian strode forward decisively, heading into the castle.

I quickly gathered myself and followed behind him, alongside Edan.

Plush red carpet, lined with golden stripes on both sides, stretched all the way from the long corridor to the broad semi-spiral staircase leading up to the second floor.

“Lati, remember what I told you. Don’t waver, no matter what.”

As we climbed the stairs, Edan tightly gripped my hand and whispered softly.

“Don’t worry.”

I squeezed Edan’s hand firmly in return. No matter what the Empress says, I won’t be shaken.

“His Highness Crown Prince Killian Dietrich, His Highness Second Prince Edan Dietrich, enter!”

At the servant’s loud announcement before the audience chamber, the doors swung open wide as if awaiting the cue.

As we stepped inside, the doors shut behind us with a heavy thud. Peering over Edan’s shoulder, my gaze landed on a massive window occupying an entire wall. The ceiling, twice as high as a normal room, was entirely made of glass. Through it, the warm afternoon sunlight poured in dazzlingly.

“We humbly greet His Majesty Emperor Julius, the Sun of Alkedania. We humbly greet Her Majesty Empress Henzela, the Star of Alkedania.”

Edan and Killian bowed with practiced, natural grace. Without time to survey the surroundings, I silently followed their lead and bowed beside them.

“Raise your heads.”

At the deep, low-toned permission, I slowly lifted my gaze.

On a raised platform of a few low steps sat velvet chairs cushioned in blue, where the Emperor and Empress were seated.

The Emperor’s appearance was surprisingly ordinary, save for his red eyes—identical to those of the two men beside me.

In contrast, Empress Henzela radiated charisma that seized attention. Her hair was swept back neatly, crowned with an elegant diadem densely set with jewels. Though middle-aged, she remained strikingly beautiful, exuding an icy aura.

In the past, her piercing, intimidating presence might have made me dare not even glance at her—but I couldn’t let atmosphere cow me before even exchanging words.

I stood straight-backed. Then, inadvertently noticing the two figures standing beside the Empress, my eyes widened in shock. Hillstain and the High Priest.

What? What are these people doing here?

My surprise lasted only a moment. The Empress’s gentle, soothing voice spread through the audience chamber.

“Your Majesty, this is the woman I mentioned.”

Instinctively turning my gaze, I locked eyes with the Empress. Lowering her long lashes, she scanned me up and down in a distasteful manner, looking as delighted as if she’d discovered a fascinating new toy.

‘That woman?’

I quickly rolled my eyes toward the High Priest. He immediately lowered his gaze to the floor.

Avoiding me? We just made eye contact, you damn corn-beard.

Then, Hillstain. Far from avoiding my gaze, Hillstain grinned at me when our eyes met. Hah, that man is truly impossible to read.

A headache began to press in. Whatever the case, it was certain the Empress had drawn those two to her side. From the High Priest’s attitude—seeming to have confessed my true identity—to the Empress’s confident tone, as if she’d already fully briefed the Emperor. As expected, the Empress must have realized I am the true Great Saintess.

“You’ve committed a truly audacious act, Duke.”

At the Empress’s sarcastic remark, Edan lowered his eyes with an indifferent expression and calmly replied.

“Really? I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Latieana Merigold. The woman beside you, Duke. Isn’t she the true Great Saintess?”

The chilling sensation of blood turning cold lasted only briefly before I felt the Emperor’s icy stare pierce into me. Before Edan could respond, the Emperor, his face heavy with concern, addressed me directly.

“Latieana Merigold.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

I gave a light bow of my head.

“According to the Empress, you are the true Great Saintess. Is that correct?”

“How could I dare claim to be the Great Saintess? I’ve never heard such a thing, Your Majesty.”

“So you deny it?”

“Yes. I am not.”

At my answer, Emperor Julius leaned back against the armrest, pressing his palm to his forehead. Frowning deeply as if displeased, he asked again—this time more forcefully.

“Lying to the Imperial House carries grave consequences. Even if you are later revealed as the Great Saintess, this offense will be judged separately. Answer honestly.”

“…”

“Are you the Great Saintess?”

“No.”

I lifted my bowed head and met the Emperor’s gaze squarely. His tired, shadowed red eyes flickered uncertainly. Unlike the Empress, the Emperor held no firm convictions. I roughly guessed why.

The Empress had long concealed the fact that Ivy was a witch—and likely kept it secret even from the Emperor. Had he known earlier that Ivy was a witch, his expression wouldn’t be this wrecked. The Empress, who commits atrocities without hesitation for her own emotions, and the Emperor, a pacifist, hold opposing positions. Logically, the Emperor should welcome the sudden appearance of a Great Saintess capable of calming the nobles’ unrest. Yet his expression mixed anger and disbelief—his furrowed brow strained tight, shoulders slumped, lips dry. He sighed deeply, shaking his head as if dragged into a troublesome affair.

“Empress, what is going on? This doesn’t make sense. What is this…”

“Shameless creature.”

The moment the Emperor shifted his glare from me to the Empress, she cut him off sharply. At her aggressive tone, I lowered my eyes as if wounded, then deeply bowed my head. My pink hair, lightened by the sunlight, cascaded to cover my face—and I gave a slight, deliberate shudder of my shoulders. Purely for effect, to appear more pitiful—but right on cue, Killian stepped forward.

“Enough, Mother.”

“This is no business of the Crown Prince.”

“I have the right to intervene in any matter concerning the Empire.”

“Crown Prince!”

The Empress slammed her hand down savagely on the armrest.

“What is this look? Are you threatening me again, like last time?”

“Threatening? If you perceive that as a threat, you are mistaken. She has repeatedly denied being the Great Saintess. I won’t comment on your hatred for Edan—but this crosses the line.”

Killian enunciated each word with deliberate force. Behind him, Edan let out a weary chuckle.

“Your Majesty, even for me, this is too much. Isn’t this overly forced? Do you truly wish the woman I cherish to be the Great Saintess? Must you even fabricate reasons to take a woman away from me?”

Glancing up, I saw the Empress’s hands trembling violently as they gripped the chair’s armrests. The Emperor looked at her with exhausted eyes, then spoke.

“Empress, enough. There are limits. Until when will you…”

“Your Majesty!”

Defiantly, the Empress raised her venomous eyes fiercely. Then, suddenly, she curled her red lips into a smile.

“I see. I chose the wrong person to question. I should not have asked them—I should have asked this side.”

The Empress turned her head toward the High Priest and Hillstain.

“High Priest, you speak. About what the true Great Saintess was doing in the Temple. About your deal with me.”

Instantly, every gaze in the room turned to the High Priest.

“Th-that…”

The High Priest, who had been warily observing the situation, flinched and gaped speechlessly. A suffocating silence filled the audience chamber, while Edan fixed him with dangerously gleaming eyes.

“What are you hesitating for? Speak, High Priest.”

Though his voice sounded almost gentle, the High Priest paled drastically upon meeting Edan’s gaze. He glanced nervously between Edan and Killian, then replied in a trembling whisper.

“I… I, I don’t understand what Her Majesty is referring to.”

“What did you say?”

In an instant, the smile vanished from the Empress’s face. Apparently, the High Priest, seeing how the situation unfolded, gave an answer contrary to her expectations.

This time, it was fortunate that the High Priest proved himself an opportunist and a slippery character.

At that very moment—“Kkheuk”—laughter burst from Hillstain’s mouth. All attention, previously focused on the High Priest, instantly swiveled to Hillstain.

“Ah, my apologies. It’s just… rather absurd.”

Seeing Hillstain’s expression—as if he found the entire situation ridiculous—the Empress’s lips curled into a smile.

What is he about to say! I dropped my pitiful act, gritted my teeth, and glared fiercely at Hillstain.

In response, Hillstain gave me a sly, crinkled-eyed smirk.

“Your Majesty, whose testimony are you relying on to claim this woman is the Great Saintess?”

“What did you say?”

“Surely you’re not basing this on the word of a witch?”

“Even if I heard it from a witch, what difference does it make! Didn’t both you and the High Priest confirm to me that Latieana Merigold is the true Great Saintess!”

“That is rather strange.”

Hillstain’s eyes, visible between his thinly folded eyelids, turned icy.

“You so readily believe the witch who deceived the Imperial House for a full year—yet why do you disbelieve everyone present here?”

“…What?”

“Crown Prince, Duke, High Priest—and even I. All of us state that Miss Latieana Merigold is not the Great Saintess.”

The Empress shot up from her seat.

“Hillstain Mathias!”

Her shriek was ear-splitting.

“You damn bastard! You’re betraying me? How dare you!”

Though the Empress’s face flushed crimson with fury, Hillstain remained calm.

“Your Majesty, Miss Latieana Merigold is not the Great Saintess. I am unaware of any such fact.”