84. Something Is Needed to Change the Mood

Lillian, standing before the Empress Dowager, bowed her head and trembled slightly.

“So where is the Empress now?”

“Her Highness went to the Marquis of Argen’s residence.”

“Anything else unusual?”

“No, Your Majesty. Lady Layton, Her Highness’s aide, recently purchased a large number of items currently popular among noblewomen. In particular, she acquired samples of fur goods expected to be in fashion this winter.”

“Hah… She got attention for her dresses and seems to have enjoyed it. All right, I understand.”

Lillian bowed deeply and then returned to Abella Palace.

Lately, the Empress Dowager had been in a very bad mood. It was all because of Larael. In the past, everyone would rush to criticize her at the slightest mention of her name, but now there were noblewomen who subtly took Larael’s side. There was nothing about Larael that pleased her.

The revelation that Jojo Assefena’s compositions were ghostwritten was the final blow. The Empress Dowager, whose pride had been deeply wounded in front of the noblewomen, had stopped holding the Night of Patronage for artists. She knew she had become a laughingstock. Though people pretended to comfort her to her face, the thought that they were secretly mocking her made her blood boil and her teeth grind.

And the root of all these problems was Larael. If only Larael hadn’t brought Corneli to the tea party that day, none of this would have happened. She seemed to have completely forgotten that she herself had insisted on inviting Corneli, even after Larael’s warning.

“No matter how hard Her Highness the Empress Consort tries, she’ll never reach the Empress Dowager’s level.”

Cararella, who was having tea with her, smiled and tried to please the Empress Dowager.

Cararella had served the Empress Dowager as her closest maid since childhood. Her father was also a retainer of the Duke of Anderman. The Empress Dowager knew Cararella’s words were mere flattery, but she nodded anyway. Even empty words were better than nothing for her peace of mind.

“I thought she was up to something grand, hiring an aide and all, but it turns out she’s just collecting luxury goods…”

Cararella clicked her tongue and shook her head.

“Still, she’s not someone to be disregarded by the ladies.”

Ariella, who had been listening quietly, let out a small laugh and spoke calmly. Her clear stance made Cararella’s face flush red. Recently, Ariella had been visiting the Empress Dowager’s palace frequently, and she often embarrassed Cararella with her words. In all her years as a maid at the Empress Dowager’s side, Ariella was the first to treat her this way. Cararella gripped her teacup tightly, nostrils flaring.

If Ariella weren’t a duke’s daughter and engaged to Grand Duke Vellaus, she would have put her in her place immediately. But since the Empress Dowager never reproached Ariella, Cararella had no choice but to endure. Ariella, knowing this, glanced down at her with a mocking smile.

The Empress Dowager, so preoccupied with Larael that she’d almost forgotten Ariella was present, turned to her with a gentle smile and asked,

“The engagement ceremony is in a few days. Aren’t you nervous?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Ariella replied calmly. She meant it; surprisingly, she didn’t feel nervous at all. The Empress Dowager was momentarily taken aback by her brief answer, but soon understood. She realized that, having talked only about Larael in front of Ariella, it was natural for her to be annoyed.

“I’ve only talked about irrelevant things with you here. My first daughter-in-law has caused me so much grief. Actually, she’s not even a daughter-in-law—should I call her a concubine?”

At the word “concubine,” Ariella’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Your Majesty, or rather, Mother, do you intend to appoint an Empress?”

Ariella, expressionless, asked as the Empress Dowager, pleased by being called “Mother,” laughed heartily. Ariella felt very anxious about the Empress’s seat being vacant. It felt as if that position was hers alone, a seat no one else should dare to claim.

“The Empress’s seat can’t remain empty forever. Someday, we’ll have to welcome an Empress, don’t you think?”

“…”

“But don’t worry. I think you know what I mean.”

The Empress Dowager gave Ariella a meaningful look and smiled. Ariella knew exactly what that look and smile meant: before the Emperor could appoint an Empress, Herwen would become Emperor, so she needn’t worry. Ariella felt a bit relieved at the Empress Dowager’s words and nodded.

But lately, Ariella had been realizing that things didn’t always go as she wished. She had always been confident in everything, but these days, she felt her confidence slipping. Nothing was going as she wanted. Her most trusted maid had betrayed her and been killed, and Herwen, whom she thought would always obey her, acted on his own and had developed a strange obsession with Larael. Even Larael, whom she had chosen herself for her naivety, had suddenly changed and now ignored her.

She needed something to change the mood. Absentmindedly fiddling with her teacup, Ariella seemed to make up her mind and looked up at the Empress Dowager.

“Mother, there’s something I would like as an engagement gift.”

“That’s good to hear! Tell me what it is.”

The Empress Dowager brightened at Ariella’s rare request and urged her for an answer.

“I want the Heart of Kazel.”

At Ariella’s words, the Empress Dowager froze, her smile still on her lips. Cararella was so shocked that she dropped her teacup to the floor. Fortunately, the cup landed on a soft carpet and didn’t break, but she was so stunned that she didn’t even think to pick it up or check if the spilled tea had stained her dress, just staring blankly at Ariella.

The silence in the parlor was finally broken by the Empress Dowager.

“Do you know what the Heart of Kazel is?”

Her voice was cold, completely different from before.

Cararella, sensing the danger in the Empress Dowager’s tone, quietly picked up the dropped cup, set it on the table, and left the parlor. It was best to leave before she got caught up in any trouble.

No citizen of the Kazel Empire would be unaware of the Heart of Kazel.

It was a necklace passed down to each Empress, made of a turquoise gemstone symbolizing the Third Eye. Even if the legend of the Third Eye was just a story, the necklace still held its meaning as a symbol of the Heaven-ordained Empress.

“Yes. Of course I know. Every citizen of Kazel does, don’t they?”

Ariella answered calmly.

If the roles were reversed and Herwen and Edward were in each other’s places, and Larael had made the same request, it would have been enough to accuse her of aspiring to be Empress, and even charge her with treason for wanting Edward to become Emperor.

The Empress Dowager felt her whole body tense as if Herwen were about to be arrested for treason. Just imagining her son locked in the underground prison reserved for serious criminals made her fury toward Ariella boil over. Ariella’s careless words could put her son in danger.

“No matter how much I adore you, did you really think I’d give you the Heart of Kazel without even considering the consequences? I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you just said. If you’re not careful, even Herwen could be accused of treason.”

The Empress Dowager, unable to contain her anger, raised her voice, then lowered it again, worried that someone outside might overhear.

Ariella didn’t even blink at the Empress Dowager’s angry words. She let out a long sigh.

“Mother, didn’t His Majesty the Emperor say he has no intention of appointing an Empress? It’s because of the Empress Consort. I heard he won’t even allow the subject to be brought up. But isn’t it true that what’s really needed is not an Empress Consort, but an Empress? And every family has young ladies they want to put forward.”

Ariella bit her lip hard. For the Nox family, that young lady was herself.

“They say everyone already has a candidate in mind.”