Chapter 29

Upon entering the Emerald Palace, Beatty began to leisurely explore the garden.

“I thought it was just a small palace, but it’s not. It has an air of elegance and delicate beauty.”

“Hmm…”

Before Liliana could respond, Beatty continued.

“The Emperor must have paid special attention. After all, it wouldn’t reflect well on the Empire to mistreat an Empress Consort brought from another country.“

“That’s true.”

Liliana replied as briefly as possible, unsure of how to react. She feared Beatty, knowing the future where she would become Empress and wreak havoc.

Still, Beatty was currently a noble lady, so Liliana didn’t want to appear overly submissive, fearing it might make her look weak.

To prevent Beatty from further critiquing the Emerald Palace, Liliana guided her to the tea table in the garden, hoping that once they had some tea, Beatty would leave.

However, Beatty clicked her tongue at one of the palace maids.

“How could you keep such a young maid by your side? How can you trust her with anything?”

“She has undergone the proper procedures. She’s one of the maids sent by His Majesty.“

‘You just made a mistake.‘ That was the implication, but Beatty didn’t seem to get it. Instead, she seemed even more excited.

“His Majesty? Oh my. How thoughtless of him…”

It was impressive how she didn’t even hide her smile while saying such things. Meanwhile, though likely feeling insulted, the maid didn’t even furrow her brow, which was admirable.

Beatty didn’t notice any of this and focused solely on mentioning Helio.

“His Majesty truly exudes charisma. He’s perfectly suited for the throne, with exceptional discernment.“

“Yes, indeed.”

Liliana answered without much spirit. Earlier, Beatty had praised Helio for the quality of the Emerald Palace, and now she was praising him for sending a young maid, claiming it showed his discernment.

Clearly, Beatty was interpreting things to suit her narrative. So why bother responding earnestly?

Beatty didn’t notice Liliana’s lackluster responses.

After taking a sip of the tea served by the maid, which she clearly didn’t like, Beatty set her cup down and began speaking about something Liliana had no interest in.

“Your Highness, did you know? I’ve admired His Majesty since I was very young.”

Please just drink your tea instead.

“Is that so?“

“Yes. My father, the Duke of Gabriel, wanted me to be the Crown Princess, but I was infatuated with His Majesty, who was then a prince.”

Liliana nearly choked on her tea. This was an incredibly personal story you’d share with a close friend, not an acquaintance.

But Beatty, seemingly oblivious to Liliana’s reaction, continued, shaking her head as if she was engrossed in her own story.

“There were many ladies who admired His Majesty back then. Most kept their feelings hidden out of decorum. But Caroline was an exception.“

“Caroline?“

“Oh, Your Majesty wouldn’t know about the affairs of the Empire. After all, she’s a dull daughter from an ancient family that isn’t worth mentioning.”

Beatty was remarkable. She belittled Liliana as a foreign princess while simultaneously disparaging Caroline, who was presumably a noble lady.

Her appearance and gestures were elegant, yet her words were vulgar. In a way, this was impressive.

The more Liliana sat with Beatty, the more questions she had. The Empress in the original story was a suffocating villain.

The Empress despised a young child who monopolized the Emperor’s attention and acted on that hatred, resulting in an assassination attempt on the child.

But watching Beatty now, it was hard to match her with that ruthless woman. She seemed like a girl in love.

“Caroline followed His Majesty everywhere. She would give him handkerchiefs at hunting events, write letters whenever she had a chance, and even at tea parties, she only talked about him. A noble lady acting so vulgarly.“

“She must have admired His Majesty greatly. Well, let’s not talk about people we don’t know…”

Liliana attempted to divert the conversation with vague comments about Princess Lucia’s beauty or admirable work ethic. However, Beatty seemed to interpret it differently.

“You mean His Majesty?”

Liliana suddenly thought, ‘Is Helio all she ever thinks about?’

It didn’t seem far from the truth.

“Yes. In fact, Caroline was so captivated by His Majesty that she disregarded her noble dignity. No one ever doubted His Majesty’s abilities since his days as a prince. Whether wielding a sword or reading a book, he would quickly surpass his masters.“

“Wow, that’s impressive.”

Liliana replied without much enthusiasm. For once, Beatty seemed to notice Liliana’s lack of interest. She placed her hand firmly on the tea table and stared directly at Liliana.

“His Majesty is truly, truly exceptional. During hunting competitions, he always caught the largest game. At the academy, he never missed being the top student. On the battlefield, he always brought back news of victory. He never had a single scandal despite the many women who pursued him. And he’s so extraordinarily handsome…”

Beatty had no right to criticize Caroline. Her eyes sparkled, her face flushed, and her voice grew more passionate when discussing Helio. It is evident to anyone that she was in love with him.

Liliana continued to respond soullessly.

“Oh, I see.”

After talking at length, Beatty suddenly lifted her head and stared straight at Liliana. Her previously excited red eyes now gleamed with a hint of madness.

Beatty grabbed Liliana’s wrist tightly, her long fingers pressing hard into Liliana’s pale skin.

“Ah, Lady…“

“I am the one who will become His Majesty’s wife.“

“Ow, that hurts.“

“Everyone else is just a concubine!”

Liliana pleaded desperately, but Beatty continued to glare at her. Feeling aggrieved, Liliana spoke up.

“I don’t care about such things. I was just brought here as a hostage.“

“What?”

Beatty looked at Liliana, clearly baffled, then gradually loosened her grip. The pressure had been so intense that the blood returning to Liliana’s fingers caused a tingling sensation.

On the other hand, Beatty seemed lost, her eyes blank and unfocused.

“…I see.“

Liliana’s heart raced as she listened to Beatty’s weak voice.

She had thought Beatty was merely an immature noblewoman. How could such a person become a fearsome empress? But now she saw a glimpse of that side.

Beatty was not expected, especially regarding her feelings for Helio.

After sitting silently for a moment, Beatty seemed to regain her composure. She tucked her silky hair behind her ear and stood up.

“I’ll be going now.”

There was no customary expression of gratitude for the hospitality. With that, Beatty rose from her seat.

As Liliana got up to see Beatty off, she noticed someone approaching the garden.

“…Greetings to the Empress Dowager.”

Liliana quickly bowed. Beatty stared at the Empress Dowager, momentarily stunned, before realizing her rudeness and hurriedly lowering her head.

The Empress Dowager looked at Beatty’s bowed head for a moment before turning her gaze to Liliana, smiling.

“Were you having a chat with Lady Gabriel?“

“Yes, Your Majesty. It was lonely, but the lady kept me company.”

“Haha, company…”

The Empress Dowager laughed honestly at the absurdity of the word.

“Then, please keep this old woman company now.”

Although she did not use a title, the Empress Dowager’s gaze was fixed solely on Liliana, treating Beatty like she was already gone.

Beatty glared at the Empress Dowager’s back. Even though she knew Liliana was facing her, she didn’t hesitate. Liliana, hiding her astonishment, addressed Beatty.

“Take care, Lady Gabriel. Thank you for coming today.“

“I shall take my leave. Stay well.”

Beatty lifted her dress and curtsied towards the Empress Dowager, who then turned and offered a picturesque smile.

“Until next time, Lady Beatty. Thank you for spending time with the Empress Consort.”

The Empress Dowager’s tone was like that of a mother seeing off her daughter’s friend. Even someone as dense as Beatty could understand the implication.

Beatty clenched the fabric of her dress tightly before spinning around and storming out.

Liliana let out a tiny sigh. The Empress Dowager noticed and gave a wry smile.

“It seems the young lady troubled you a lot?“

“No, Your Majesty.”

Liliana waved her hands dismissively. But in doing so, her reddened wrist was exposed. The Empress Dowager grasped Liliana’s wrist, her expression shocked.

Startled, Liliana tried to pull her wrist back, but the Empress Dowager had already seen the nail marks on her pale skin.

“What is this?“

“It’s nothing…“

“It’s not nothing.”

The Empress Dowager sighed in exasperation and shook her head, her face unusually somber.

“I heard some of your conversation with the young lady while I was entering the Emerald Palace.”

Liliana was more shocked at this revelation than at the exposure of her wrist injury.

Had she really overheard the conversation with Beatty? From when? Liliana replayed the recent events in her mind.

When Beatty had gripped her hand tightly, she had been utterly excited, almost like a madwoman.

‘I’m the one who will become His Majesty’s wife. Everyone else is just a concubine!’

And to calm the crazed Beatty, Liliana had responded:

‘I don’t care about such things. I was just brought here as a hostage.’

Has the Empress Dowager honestly heard this exchange? Liliana felt her mind go blank.

She bit her lower lip, looking solemn, before slowly kneeling down. She didn’t care if the dress got stained.

With her pink hair cascading down her shoulders, she bowed and spoke.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty.”