“About the Empress, Your Majesty.”

Pavel looked up from taking inventory of medicinal herbs when Levin’s voice suddenly reached him.

Levin had been diligently studying the holy scripture for some time.

While some were staring at scale markings until their eyes popped out, the boy’s attention was diverted elsewhere. Pavel let out a hollow laugh and adjusted his glasses at the sight.

Levin, who had been the most dissatisfied with life in the East Palace, continued speaking with a suddenly sullen expression as he glared at the ceiling.

“Don’t you think her demeanor has changed quite a bit?”

“Her demeanor?”

As Levin abruptly began analyzing the Empress’s demeanor, Pavel tried to recall if he’d even had time to observe Her Majesty’s demeanor.

When they first arrived after being dispatched upon hearing about the Empress’s symptoms, Her Majesty had been completely out of her mind, staring blankly into space or occasionally mumbling incoherently.

Come to think of it, when the Empress welcomed the priests the other day, she had appeared quite composed. It was certainly a better sight than when she had been in a daze.

“It’s fortunate she seems to be improving, given that she’s moving around and speaking well.”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

With a dubious expression, Levin suddenly began searching through the scripture.

Pavel watched the boy and let out a slight chuckle. He thought Levin was looking for excuses to leave this dilapidated castle, having been frightened from the beginning that ghosts might appear.

“This. This here.”

However, Levin’s puzzling question wasn’t for such a simple reason.

Pavel’s expression hardened when he saw the page Levin had opened.

The page he showed contained records of the process when an evil spirit steals someone’s body.

It depicted a scene eerily similar to the changes the Empress had recently shown—first unable to move while empty like a hollow shell, then eventually completely possessed by an evil spirit, appearing perfectly normal at first glance while slowly gnawing away at the souls of those around them.

“Priest Sabiel. Don’t make hasty judgments. Judgment is ultimately the High Priest’s responsibility.”

But the subject was the Empire’s Empress.

She was the nation’s leader, blessed and recognized in God’s name by the temple itself.

The circumstances surrounding this were too complex for hasty judgment.

“I’m not doing this because I don’t know it’s the High Priest’s authority! I just think that as a person, he might make mistakes or miss things sometimes. Isn’t it our role to watch carefully together before he makes an irreversible mistake?”

“Priest Sabiel.”

“But Priest Raphael, you’ve seen it too. Though they say she’s showing improvement, she’s clearly not the Empress we knew before!”

Wrong. The boy seemed completely absorbed in conspiracy theories.

Pavel looked at Levin with a troubled expression as he thrust the scripture forward.

“Priest Sabiel, there must be good reasons why His Holiness entrusted this matter to High Priest Clarvin… We are all believers in the invisible. You know well that waiting for the Holy Spirit’s will and not doubting is the first step of a faithful. …So let’s just wait a little longer.”

While Angell tended to scold Levin with subtle intimidation, Pavel preferred a gentler, more persuasive approach.

At Pavel’s words, Levin’s tense shoulders slumped as he set down the scripture he’d been holding.

“…Well, it would be fortunate if I’m wrong. Just… let’s be careful.”

Pavel sighed deeply as Levin still couldn’t relax his expression even after closing the scripture.

“Her Majesty is simply suffering from an illness of excessive love. She’s a pitiful person.”

“…If that’s the reason, it makes her seem more human. Well, fortunately, she hasn’t caused any disturbances or incidents as rumors suggest she might.”

Pavel agreed with that opinion.

Problems of those in high positions only make life difficult for many below them.

He only hoped to resolve this with minimal issues, without it leading to judgment.

Thud—

“…Priest Clarvin?”

Despite the two priests’ wishes, Angell Clarvin’s expression was not pleasant as he arrived carrying a mysterious sack that made clattering noises.

“What is that?”

“…Don’t ask.”

After setting down the heavy sack and gathering some medicinal herbs, Angell turned to leave. The moment the door closed, the two priests opened the sack as if by prior agreement.

“…This…”

“Knives?”

The sack contained a considerable number of silver knives.

It was inexplicable where all these knives had come from.

※※※

/”…I’ll be taking these.”/

That damned priest took away everything useful.

I had stored tools to keep me awake all night, but somehow he figured out their purpose and took them all.

He was truly like a ghost.

Though I wanted to drive those doves away immediately, I first needed to successfully complete the audience with the Emperor as he suggested.

If I appeared sane enough to dispel suspicions of being possessed by an evil spirit, they would have no reason to remain here.

/”Enjoy this ruined life to your heart’s content.”/

Indeed, it was a miserable life as she had said. Out there, people viewed me as an Empress possessed by an evil spirit, a pitiful being clinging to the Emperor’s trouser leg with obscene love.

They say it’s a position where you can have everything if you just give up love.

Perhaps I could fulfill everyone’s wishes.

Repenting for the sin of desperate love and becoming the evil spirit they all expect me to be.

Could there be a more suitable role for me?

“Where are you going?”

“……”

Why is he here again?

Just as I was about to leave the room, the priest entered, stopping me in my tracks.

In his hands was a bottle filled with black pills.

“Can we stop treating me like a patient?”

“…These are pills to calm anxiety. They should make you feel a bit better.”

“I’d feel perfectly fine if you’d stop showing up.”

I walked past him to pursue my original goal. Nevertheless, he persistently followed.

I knew why he was following me so closely.

“I think you’re the one who needs to take those pills.”

When I turned back to snap at him before entering the corridor, his eyes wavered slightly.

The priest was anxious that I might repeat my past incident. That’s the nature of his compassion.

However, there was something he misunderstood.

“…It’s sleepwalking. I tend to talk in my sleep a lot.”

That was the reason I tried to avoid sleep each night and plotted death.

Furthermore, it was the reason the house caught fire before my transmigration.

It was also why I woke up to find myself an even more terrible monster than before.

“Does Your Majesty dream with your eyes open?”

“…What?”

“I heard you were clearly awake when you inflicted wounds on your abdomen that time.”

“That was—”

“I believe the pain Your Majesty is experiencing can certainly disappear, but those outside think differently. …If you consider this place where you live and breathe to be a dream, it’s no different than agreeing with those who want to consider your pain a sin.”

This time, the anger-filled gaze that occasionally appeared as a silent warning was clearly directed at me.

He seemed like someone who would rarely get angry with his gentle appearance. He must be showing such anger because he had invested great effort and expectations in me, a monster.

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m making considerable efforts to prove that what Your Majesty is experiencing isn’t a heretical calamity. So please tell me clearly. If you didn’t commit that act yourself that day, then it means an evil spirit harmed your body, and their claims would be correct.”

“……”

At the priest’s words, I suddenly recalled the end he would face.

In both my original manuscript and the revised one, he was a person who lost everything while trying to prove Diana Veronique’s innocence.

If their claims prove correct this time, will you collapse and lose everything you’ve built, just like Diana Veronique?

“…There won’t be any more incidents like that. So stop following me around.”

It was regrettable that the priest, whose role was to stay by Diana Veronique’s side and fall with her, was being excessively diligent in his role.

“I don’t remember some things after the incident. Tell me everything.”

After brushing him off, I headed to the library.

If there was no way to wake up from this dream, I needed to find a way to get back at the d*mn Diana Veronique who dragged me into this life.

Debora Barochel often spent time here, waiting for the Empress to awaken in this place where time seemed to stand still.

Like a dog waiting for its master, she remained buried in silence.

Startled by my sudden intrusion, Debora jumped up from the sofa.

I approached her with a restraining gesture and said:

“We can’t stay cooped up here forever, can we? I think I need your help to get my head working like it used to.”

The greatest revenge against a man who imprisons and tries to slowly kill his wife because he can’t divorce her would be to recover spectacularly.

Unfortunately, pleading for normalcy by catering to someone’s whims wasn’t my style, so I decided to find out what I could do first by seeking out Debora.

I knew well that Debora Barochel had been Diana’s tutor because I had written it myself.

Though they were peers with about a five-year age difference, Debora had made her social debut early and was very precocious compared to her peers due to having many older siblings.

She might have been startled by the sudden request for help, but after showing a brief surprised reaction, Debora acted calmly.

“…How much do you remember?”

She seemed to understand that my coldness during the kitchen fire incident had been due to memory loss.

I stared at Debora as she asked calmly.

Debora Barochel was a useful tutor.

She willingly swallowed any resentment, quickly recognized the most necessary attitude for the situation, and took rational action.

It was fortunate she didn’t make a fuss about Her Majesty losing her memory. If she had, I might have wanted to stab my ears with a pen.

“We’ll have to find out from now on.”

Debora moved calmly despite my somewhat ambiguous statement.

“I’ll start with the Empire’s chronology.”

※※※

“Marquis Atrens has announced his attendance at the luncheon with his close associates.”

“…He’s really excited. Coming and going from the imperial palace as if it were his own home.”

Antheo had been incredibly busy lately.

When the Empress went mad, Duke Veronique, who could no longer hold his head up in public, returned to his territory under the pretext of rest.

With scandals rampant about his daughter’s mental illness and the power structure shifting toward the new forces occupying the Emperor’s side, Veronique wouldn’t be making any arrogant complaints about the Empress for the time being.

This was satisfying. It would have been better if Marquis Atrens, who benefited from his daughter’s fortune, were less annoying, but everything was still pleasing. Except for one thing.

“Shall I report on the situation at the East Palace?”

“I heard. She finally got out of bed only to cause another disturbance.”

If only the leech-like Empress who still breathed would disappear, everything would be perfect.

“Is she still alive?”

“…Yes. She seems to have regained quite a bit of strength. She moves around without difficulty.”

That’s fine then.

If there was one mistake to point out in the otherwise flawless life of Antheo Phoenix Lobart, it would be his marriage vow to Diana Veronique.

Diana Veronique was a terrible woman who forced herself as his match with the backing of his mother, the Empress Dowager.

She had deceived him and everyone else with a seemingly useful appearance, but eventually collapsed before completing her perfect act, revealing her true nature.

She was a disappointing woman who continued to irritate him even in her moment of downfall.

“…Still, would you like to visit her once? I think it might be better for you to confirm directly rather than relying on reports.”

“Is that really necessary?”

What a useless suggestion.

It was surely just a show to attract his attention.

If it were Diana Veronique, she would soon become impatient and run to him on her own.

Seeing her in that state was a small entertainment in his tedious daily life. He couldn’t spoil that fun by his own hand.

“How far has the construction of the western palace progressed?”

“…It should be completed without issue before winter arrives.”

“Minerva is still staying in the guest palace. Tell them to hurry.”

Antheo headed toward the fortunate woman who deserved to be loved, the one he had chosen.

Knowing the Empress would come looking for him on her own, he saw no need to make the effort.

But his expectation didn’t last even five days. Despite hearing that she had regained her strength quite some time ago, Diana Veronique had not requested an audience.

※※※

“Well, this is interesting.”

A request for an audience from the Emperor arrived from the main palace.

I burst into laughter of disbelief as I examined the letter bearing the imperial seal.

They say people can change after nearly dying—perhaps they were worried the insane Empress had suddenly become normal overnight?

As the Emperor who had never once looked in on this place sent such unexpected news, I suddenly recalled the revised description of his appearance in the modified manuscript.

In the manuscript that had been changed to a regret story, the Emperor’s appearance had been quite beautifully modified to make his crying scene more impressive.

“I absolutely hate crying, but should I tolerate it if he cries prettily?”

In any case, the Emperor had no way to avoid tears in this novel.

In my ending, he loses everything, self-destructs, and sheds tears; in the revised ending, he cries while reminiscing about the love he ruined with his own hands.

So, in what way would the Emperor shed tears here?

“Fascinating.”

I let out a dry laugh as I closed the last book Debora had left.

The pile of books that had accumulated showed that quite a lot of time had passed.

About ten days, perhaps?

It ended faster than expected because all the knowledge Diana Veronique had learned and honed remained intact in this place.

Her competence was still alive and well.

So it was time to start moving and reclaiming the things Diana had lost, one by one.

Ten days—which also meant the Emperor had neglected and not sought me out for exactly that long.

Lost in thought, I tapped my leg draped over the armrest.

Day was already fading, and this place had been quiet all day.

Its notorious eeriness also suited my taste perfectly.

But… it was too boring.

“…Maybe I’ll go have a look.”

Suddenly, I became curious about the Emperor who supposedly had blood-red eyes of chilling beauty.

There was no other reason for my decision to visit him.

※※※

“Her Majesty the Empress has arrived.”

Upon hearing of the Empress’s arrival, Antheo rolled a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and deeply inhaled the acrid smoke.

What pathetic display would she show this time?

Perhaps she would ask if he hadn’t missed her, or if he was now willing to look at her, or maybe she would even strip off her clothes and throw herself at him.

But the moment Diana entered the reception room, Antheo forgot all the insulting words he had prepared.

“……”

Something was different from before.

Her bright red dress wasn’t in the voluminous style favored by women here, and while it wasn’t without flaws, it still captured attention with its intense aura.

Her loose hair was also too unprepared to be called that of an imperial woman, yet it looked natural rather than unkempt.

It was as if she had put in less effort. This change was particularly noticeable because the Empress had always appeared with perfectly styled hair and excessive ornamentation when meeting him.

More than her simplified adornments, what startled him was her distinctly different expression of boredom and cold eyes.

“……”

Despite a considerable time having passed since she entered the reception room, Diana remained standing by the door, scrutinizing him with the same exploratory gaze. He burst into mockery at the audacious Diana Veronique’s attitude as she stared at him with sharp eyes.

“Have you become a mute idiot now? Did you bite your tongue or something?”

“……”

Diana remained silent despite his provocation.

She simply stared at him with a cool gaze, showing no reaction whatsoever.

“Actually, that’s better. I prefer a mute idiot to someone who’s lost her mind.”

“Ha.”

“You’re laughing. Did that sound like a compliment?”

What exactly was she trying to do?

After a long silence, standing guard at the door, Antheo approached Diana, roughly grabbed her chin, and began examining her from different angles.

He wanted to see if her sanity had returned or if she had completely lost her mind.

“This is the worst.”

Diana’s single remark that followed made both possibilities ambiguous.