42. She’s Not the Ariella I Knew

A heavy silence filled the drawing room. The Empress Dowager quietly waited for Duke Nox to speak. Duke Nox let out a long sigh.

“I’ll be direct. We’re not in a relationship where we exchange pleasantries or chat about trivial matters, are we?”

The Empress Dowager covered her mouth with a smile. But her eyes, as she looked at Duke Nox, were sharp, not matching her smiling lips.

“It’s the same for me. If it weren’t for the children, I doubt the two of us would have any reason to meet like this.”

Because the word “children” included his own daughter, Duke Nox felt very uncomfortable. The way she spoke so familiarly was ominous.

‘Wouldn’t it have been better to hear Ariella’s story all the way through before meeting the Empress Dowager?’

He regretted not listening to Ariella’s side of things to the end.

The Empress Dowager raised her eyebrows high and sighed.

“I’m not thrilled about it either, but since the children like each other and now everyone in the Empire knows, wouldn’t it be better to at least arrange an engagement?”

Hearing the Empress Dowager speak as if she had given up, Duke Nox’s mouth fell open. His eyes lost focus. Unable to control his trembling heart, he clutched at his chest.

“Judging by how flustered you look, Duke, could it be you still don’t know about their relationship?”

The Empress Dowager spoke nonchalantly.

“Your Majesty, the truth is… I’m not feeling well today…”

“Duke, are you suddenly not feeling well? You know very well that I’m not thrilled about their meetings either. But what can we do? I heard Lady Nox has been a great comfort to him after being hurt by the Empress Consort…”

“But Ariella hardly ever goes out…”

She shouldn’t have had a chance to meet Herwen.

“I heard they’re in a book club together. Didn’t you know? Anyway, Herwen is going to release a rebuttal article. I’m not sure how effective it will be, though.”

The Empress Dowager cut off the Duke, as if answering his question. She frowned. It was almost pitiful to see the Duke making excuses as if he, not Ariella, was the one meeting Herwen.

The Empress Dowager clicked her tongue and shook her head.

The book club—Ariella’s only regular outing. Duke Nox slumped back against the sofa, drained. His arm dropped limply to his side.

‘There’s no turning back. There’s no escaping the clutches of this snake-like Empress Dowager…’

He felt like he wanted to give up on everything. Everything he had carefully built up felt pointless.

[You’ll become Empress, so be cautious in everything.]

Duke Nox recalled the words he’d always impressed upon Ariella.

The daughter of the Emperor’s closest confidant was having a secret affair with the person most threatening to the Emperor. The Ariella he thought of as his own child now felt like someone he didn’t know at all.

“I need time to think. I haven’t even properly spoken with my daughter yet.”

When the Empress Dowager stared at him, as if urging an answer, Duke Nox spoke reluctantly. He tried to sound calm, but his voice trembled, as if he no longer had the strength to keep up appearances.

“Well, then, I’ll take my leave. The longer I stay, the more wrinkles you’ll get, Duke.”

The Empress Dowager somehow looked pleased.

After seeing the Empress Dowager out, Duke Nox returned to the drawing room, feeling as if all strength had left his body. He slumped onto the sofa and anxiously rubbed his face. Now that the Empress Dowager had personally brought up the engagement, there was no way this would simply blow over. His head throbbed as if it would split. Leaning his head back, he summoned Ariella.

Ariella entered the drawing room, studying Duke Nox’s face.

“Father, why did the Empress Dowager come…?”

“Ariella!!”

Duke Nox called out to her in a thunderous voice.

Startled, Ariella froze, halfway to sitting down, and looked at the Duke.

“Ariella!! Have you been meeting Grand Duke Vellaus through your book club? The Empress Dowager brought up the topic of engagement. Didn’t I tell you you’re supposed to be Empress? What on earth have you been doing?!”

Ariella’s heart sank.

Her anger was directed entirely at Herwen.

‘He told the Empress Dowager about our relationship without even consulting me? What was he thinking!’

She trembled with rage. Ariella lowered her eyes toward the Duke, who had shouted at her. Her breathing grew rough.

“Father, don’t yell at me!”

Ariella shot back coldly, then turned and slammed the drawing room door as she left.

Duke Nox let out a hollow laugh, shocked by her attitude.

Was this really the daughter he had known all along?

He stared blankly at the drawing room door Ariella had exited, looking utterly stunned.

***

Larael looked at Beatrice’s slightly rounded belly. Sensing Larael’s gaze, Beatrice awkwardly smiled and stroked her stomach.

“I heard you usually don’t show much with your first child, but maybe because it’s twins, my belly is really showing.”

Larael closed her mouth and smiled. But seeing her look somehow sad, Beatrice grew uneasy and added,

“Soon, Your Highness will have good news as well.”

Instead of replying, Larael just nodded.

Invited by the Marchioness of Argen, Larael knew exactly why she had been asked to the marquisate. It was because of the news of Herwen and Ariella’s engagement. When the first scandal broke, both sides had issued strong denials. But soon after, a photo of Herwen kissing Ariella’s forehead appeared in the newspaper. Not long after that, news of their engagement spread.

All through their meeting, Beatrice tried to cheer Larael up with her characteristically bright voice.

“This is the tea Your Highness gave me. It’s so delicious, I drink it every day.”

“I’m glad. I’ll get some more and send it to you.”

Beatrice waved her hands. That wasn’t what she meant. Seeing this, Larael laughed, then stopped.

“I know why you invited me today, Beatrice. You don’t have to tiptoe around me. I really am fine.”

Beatrice, surprised, set her teacup down instead of bringing it to her lips.

“I didn’t bring up Grand Duke Vellaus because I thought it might make you uncomfortable, but honestly, when I heard the news, I thought about you a lot.”

“If they like each other, shouldn’t I congratulate them?”

“But isn’t it all so sudden?”

Beatrice hadn’t liked Herwen, but she’d believed his devotion to Larael was genuine, so it was even more shocking. She felt almost betrayed that someone could fall out of love so quickly and find someone new.

‘If Beatrice knew they’d been meeting for a while, she’d probably faint.’

She never imagined their affair would be exposed so easily. She’d been wondering what to do if she couldn’t get evidence this time, but unexpectedly, Herwen and Ariella had made it easy.

“Grand Duke Vellaus’s popularity has plummeted. For a man whose feelings change so quickly—he was popular because people longed for an eternal love that doesn’t exist in reality, but now that charm is gone, it’s only natural his popularity would fade. There are plenty of handsome men, aren’t there?”

Larael nodded, thinking of Edward.

From the Empress Dowager’s perspective, Lady Nox was a good match. But it was surprising that Duke Nox agreed. After all, Duke Nox was the Emperor’s closest confidant.

Even in the past, and still now, Duke Nox’s thoughts were always impossible to read.

“What could Duke Nox be thinking?”

“I’m not sure.”

Instead of pondering the unknowable Duke Nox, Larael thought of Edward. He always avoided mentioning Herwen and Ariella in front of Larael. Even when Larael herself brought up their engagement and said it was something to celebrate, Edward watched her carefully for her reaction.