“Obedient… unexpectedly.”

During tea time with Princess Astia, the Empress frowned upon hearing Eril Fuse’s report.

In her mind, Esika was clearly a witch.

Though momentarily subdued, her wicked nature wouldn’t have disappeared… Yet she readily accepted the task of transcribing the Tameron scriptures?

“She must have given up. Crushed by Your Majesty’s pure aura.”

Princess Astia’s voice was heard.

Since her recent return to the palace, the Empress had assigned a priestly tutor to watch over her as well.

“It seems Tameron is assisting Your Majesty.”

Astia sipped her tea.

The tea here had a much softer aroma than that of the Maroon Plains where her husband resided.

And… suddenly, Esika’s words came to mind. Map. Her back felt sore.

How much did Esika know?

“Hoho… the Princess’s words are pleasing to hear.”

The Empress was satisfied with Astia’s praise, invoking Tameron’s name.

As Astia said, perhaps the witch’s power had weakened due to Tameron’s aid, rendering her powerless.

“Are you exchanging letters with Lord Basel? I sent seven carts of grain to Maroon.”

“Yes. He seemed quite moved by Your Majesty’s gift.”

When the Empress mentioned her husband’s name, Astia smiled and replied.

The princely couple, who had been living as the Basel couple, had been running a livestock business in the Maroon Plains until now.

Someone had gifted them a foundation, and thanks to Astia’s excellent skills, their business had flourished, but at some point, a crisis arose.

The person they traded grain with for their business suddenly raised the price unreasonably.

They tried to find other suppliers, but as if threatened by someone, they refused to trade with Astia.

Amidst this, a letter came from the Empress. Saying she would help her.

And that she would prepare medicine for the child.

This is the story the Empress knows, of how she captured Astia.

Astia’s perspective is slightly different, though.

“I’d like to send more if I could, but even the Empress’s treasury has its limits… Please understand, Princess.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

The Empress wasn’t foolish enough to overfeed a captured slave.

By now, a new letter should have arrived in Maroon.

Thinking that Astia would have been more useful if she hadn’t married, the Empress lifted her teacup.

If Astia were single, she could have arranged a marriage with a useful family.

Such a family to support Breighton after the fall of the Klaus family.

‘Perhaps it’s not too late even now.’

With news that the child’s condition wasn’t very good, it might become easier with a little effort.

**

A party was held to celebrate the 2nd Prince Breighton’s birthday.

After the recent cancellation of the engagement between Duchess Heinz and Breighton, the Empress, who hadn’t held large parties, invited quite a few nobles this time.

‘Interesting, the reason she ordered me to attend on a day when the Crown Prince is busy, probably fearing his presence would overshadow the 2nd Prince…’

“Greetings to the noble Empress.”

“Your Majesty, may you enjoy health for a thousand years!”

Esika felt rather displeased seeing Bolan and Marshal’s combo approach the Empress with ecstatic expressions, fawning over her.

‘They must have prepared some small gift for me.’

Esika calmly surveyed the nobles attending the party.

Most were pro-Empress faction, that is, supporters of the 2nd Prince.

The same nobles she had seen at Riona Klaus’s birthday party.

Lady Merhin, now expelled from this group, wasn’t invited to the party, they say.

“I’m pleased with the ladies’ congratulations.”

The Empress greeted the guests, slowly waving an ornate fan.

Breighton, in uniform, awkwardly gulped down water from his glass.

Noble youths crowded around him to pay respects, but he looked thoroughly bored.

The Empress must have asked him to abstain from alcohol and maintain proper posture today.

“Your Highness, remember that girl I mentioned before? The baroness’s daughter, red hair, killer body.”

“Why don’t you attend the upcoming academy graduation party? There’ll be lots of drinking, a good opportunity.”

“I’d like to, but if I mess up again before the wedding, Mother won’t let it slide.”

Esika’s sensitive hearing clearly picked up the conversation between 2nd Prince Breighton and the rake noble youths.

The ones he was talking to seemed to be the sons of Bolan and Marshal.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as they say.

“Ah, here comes Marquis Pelope.”

As one of them pointed towards the entrance, people’s gazes turned to Gaven Pelope entering.

The host of ‘Friday’s Party’.

Gaven Pelope, supported by several dissolute nobles, was quite well-connected, and along with Callian, was one of the nobles belonging to the 2nd Prince’s faction.

“But… why is his hand…”

Though his uniform was splendid as if dressed up, his hand was bandaged.

Gaven Pelope immediately came to greet the Empress.

“I pay my respects to Your Majesty.”

“Oh, you’ve come, Lord Pelope.”

The Empress’s eyebrow twitched as she noticed Gaven’s hand.

“But that hand…”

As the Empress mentioned the hand, people’s gazes turned to it once again.

Gaven gave an awkward smile and spoke.

“I got a little injured during sword training, and it’s taking a while to heal.”

“Oh, my.”

The Empress wore a sympathetic expression.

“Sword practice is good, but take care of yourself. You’re an important person who will assist the Prince closely when he takes on state affairs in the future.”

“I’m honored, Your Majesty.”

Gaven Pelope replied loudly, as if deeply moved.

The corner of Esika’s lips twisted slightly.

No one would know the truth about Gaven Pelope’s injured hand as accurately as Esika.

He had tried to mess with Esika in the underworld and was pierced by Resban.

After greeting the Empress, Gaven approached Breighton.

Breighton began chatting with Gaven like a close older brother.

The content was so pathetic and harmful that Esika wished she could intentionally turn off her hearing.

‘Tsk.’

“By the way, Your Majesty.”

Suddenly, Bolan addressed the Empress.

“On this wonderful day, to celebrate the Prince’s birthday, Lady Alhemitz and I have prepared something. Would you care to appreciate it?”

“We prepared it with all our hearts, Your Majesty.”

Marshal added at the end of Bolan’s words.

“Something prepared?”

“Yes. We’ve prepared a sacred play.”

At Marshal’s words, people looked at them, exclaiming, “Oh.”

Esika had heard of ‘sacred plays’ before, though she had never seen one.

It was a kind of puppet show that either recreated myths from the Tameron scriptures or quoted them to suit the times and provide moral lessons.

“My, the ladies are giving me such a grand gift.”

The Empress, a fanatical worshipper of Tameron, was visibly delighted.

“Please, go ahead and prepare. I can’t miss a sacred play.”

“We’re honored, Your Majesty.”

“Hurry and prepare!”

Though Breighton, the subject of the celebration, immediately looked bored, Breighton’s birthday party wasn’t for Breighton.

As Marshal clapped her hands and ordered, several servants and a puppeteer who had been waiting outside appeared.

They set up the apparatus quickly at the front, and many nobles gathered around to watch the sacred play.

The Empress was at the center.

“…”

Suddenly feeling a gaze from somewhere, Esika noticed Gaven, who had approached quite close, staring at her.

What’s with that plaintive expression, does he want a hole in his stomach this time instead of his hand?

Esika frowned and turned away.

Soon after, the sacred play began.

What distinguished sacred plays from ordinary puppet shows was that they were generally scripted by priests and consisted of religious content.

The title of the sacred play was .

The Tameron scriptures contained a chapter with forty-six fairy tale-like stories, and this seemed to be based on one of them.

Boom- boom- boom-

With the sound of a small drum, the lighting installed in the puppet stage box turned on.

The first to appear was a handsome prince puppet.

The prince was born on earth by Tameron’s will.

It was because his mother had made a holy contract with Tameron.

The puppet was made to resemble a real person, recognizable to anyone.

One day, a devil covered in red blood appeared and tried to harm the prince puppet.

He was skilled in trickery and used various schemes.

Whenever the prince was threatened by him, the noble ladies exclaimed, “Oh my,” “Goodness.”

When the blood-stained devil’s schemes failed to ensnare the prince, who acted wisely, he decided to try another method.

The devil went to a brothel and met a witch living there.

She was very promiscuous and also a murderer who had killed countless holy men.

And she had snow-white hair.

The tacky buttons attached here and there signified that she was worthless.

‘…’

Esika quietly watched the progress of the sacred play.

She didn’t think the Empress would attack her in such an obvious way.

Because she wouldn’t want gossip at Breighton’s birthday either.

But to think Bolan and Marshal’s combo had prepared something like this.

It was laughable how childish the Empress’s taste was, inviting her knowing full well.

She also knew what kind of reaction the Empress was expecting from her.

“Oh my, it’s chilling. To think she stole all the treasures from holy families.”

“The prince must defeat that devil and witch.”

Voices of people immersed in the sacred play could be heard, mixed with intense breaths.

The witch made a contract with the devil to gain strong powers and entered the prince’s palace to seduce him.

And she pushed the prince’s fiancée off a tower.

The prince despaired but soon prayed to Tameron for new strength, and drew his sword against the witch, an evil force trying to devour the palace with her wicked actions.

Interesting stories have power.

They make people empathize and immerse, and can also reinforce prejudices.

And if someone denies it, they might be made to look foolish by saying it’s just a story.

As the sacred play ended, the Empress dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

“It was truly moving.”

In the end, this sacred play concluded with the prince beheading the devil and the witch.

Bolan and Marshal were very satisfied with the Empress’s reaction.

And they glanced at Esika’s expression.

Once a lowly string that had fallen from the Klaus family, now Esika Klaus, no, Esika Lucein, the Crown Princess, sat far above them with her legs crossed.

Esika’s expression was as calm as usual, but they thought her inner feelings must be different.

The target of this sacred play, created with prior report to the Empress, was clear.

“How did Your Highness, the Crown Princess, find it?”

Marshal asked Esika with a grin.

At this, everyone’s gaze turned to Esika.