30. Hailey Brooke. What are you, really?

In the Imperial Palace, the eldest and most senior royal was Empress Dowager Margarita, the emperor’s mother. She hosted tea gatherings in her reception once or twice a month.

These gatherings were strictly reserved for the direct bloodline: the Empress Dowager herself, her son the Emperor, the imperial princess, and the crown prince and heir, Kincaid.

Additionally, Grand Duchess Eleonora and her daughter had the right to attend, but the Grand Duchess always declined with some excuse. Kincaid, too, was notorious for frequently skipping these tea gatherings, but today—

“It brings me such joy to have the Crown Prince grace my reception after so long,” the Empress Dowager said, her words laden with meaning.

Kincaid dipped his head slightly and lifted his teacup.

“I’ll make sure to visit more often.”

The Empress Dowager smiled, visibly pleased by his polite response.

“Would you like more tea, Your Majesty?” she asked her son gently.

The Empress gently addressed her son, but Emperor Bronteum II merely shook his head without any movement. The Emperor’s dull gray eyes had lost their luster and were sunken. After several bouts of illness and recovery, he had recently been absent from the morning meetings of the internal affairs council, isolating himself in the main palace.

‘He looks like a complete invalid,’ Kincaid thought to himself.

Due to his father’s failing health, Kincaid had been able to step into state affairs much earlier than expected. However, with loyalists like Prime Minister Schmidt and the high nobles still clinging to the old regime, he had yet to grasp full control of governance.

‘But that won’t last long,’ Kincaid thought coldly as he looked at his biological father, his eyes void of warmth.

Just then—

“My, my… it seems I’m terribly late,” came the bright voice of Princess Catherine as the reception doors swung open.

“And what, pray tell, caused you to arrive so tardily?” the Empress Dowager asked sharply. 

“Both His Majesty and the Crown Prince were kept waiting. You have committed a grave discourtesy.”

“I was busy selecting ingredients for next month’s ball,” Princess Catherine replied with easy charm. 

“Since it’s all in preparation for the Crown Prince, I do hope you’ll forgive me.”

At her quick-witted reply, Kincaid dipped his head again.

“I’m relieved to hear that my aunt is preparing the ball.”

“It’s my honor to arrange such a grand event,” she said with excitement. “After all, it’s to choose your fiancé, it must be dazzling and splendid!”

Princess Catherine declared her intentions proudly, clearly thrilled to finally have a major imperial event under her command. But Kincaid shook his head.

“The southern provinces are suffering from a severe drought. Refugees are flooding in. In such circumstances, it would be inappropriate to hold an extravagant event.”

“If you look at it that way,” Catherine countered lightly, “then there would always be reasons not to celebrate—too much rain in the summer, too much snow in the winter. If we hesitated over every misfortune, we’d never do anything at all.”

At her flippant reply, a flash of disdain crossed Kincaid’s eyes.

“Besides,” she continued, “this ball is for selecting the future empress of the empire. Such an occasion must be celebrated with the grandeur it deserves!”

Princess Catherine turned her head to look at the Emperor.

“Isn’t that right, brother?”

At his lively younger sister’s question, the Emperor, who had been staring vacantly into space, slowly nodded.

“Do as you wish, Catherine.”

“I’ll do my utmost to prepare everything,” she said with a beaming smile.

Pleased by the Emperor’s permission, Catherine’s face lit up brightly. Then, as if suddenly remembering, she pointed to an empty seat and asked the Empress Dowager,

“Is Grand Duchess Eleonora absent again today?”

“She sent word that she’s feeling unwell,” replied the Empress Dowager.

“Hah, she says that every time… At this rate, people will start thinking we’re bullying the Grand Duchess,” Catherine said with an exaggerated sigh.

Kincaid suppressed a sneer at Catherine’s shameless reaction, especially considering she had recently schemed to seize the Grand Duchess’s villa.

‘How much longer must I endure this farce?’ he thought.

Fortunately, his patience wouldn’t be tested for much longer.

“Countess Bellamier! You mustn’t go in there!” came a frantic voice from outside the reception.

A moment later, the door burst open violently.

“Your Majesty! I must speak with you!” cried Countess Bellamier,  clad in an extravagant silver gown, as she stormed into the room.

“This is not a place you are permitted to enter, my lady!” the attendant following her cried out desperately.

But the Countess stood her ground, raising her voice toward the emperor.

“Your Majesty, this is too much! Am I somehow inferior to Baroness Priya?!”

Her face looked ready to burst into tears as she made her complaint.

“Your Majesty, please listen to me as well! The Countess is lying!”

Through the still-open door, another woman rushed in — Baroness Priya. She was the youngest among the imperial concubines and wore a white lace dress typically reserved for unmarried noble ladies, tears trickling down her face.

“I never stole any supplies! The Countess is falsely accusing me!” she cried.

“Lies! Your Majesty, don’t be deceived by that sly face! I clearly saw Baroness Priya steal palace goods with my own eyes!” the Countess shouted back.

The two concubines clamored, each desperately trying to plead their case. Then their respective maids joined the fray, surging into the reception, and in an instant, the room descended into complete chaos.

“What in the world is going on here?!”

The Empress Dowager, her face twisted in anger at having her peaceful family tea time so rudely interrupted, shouted,

“There has been an incident of an official from the Ministry of Internal Affairs embezzling supplies. It seems the two ladies have come to protest about it.”

Kincaid calmly summarized the situation in a cold voice. At his words, the Empress Dowager glared sharply at the two noblewomen.

“Have you two forgotten the rules of the Imperial Palace? Concubines cannot attend the Empress Dowager’s tea time without an invitation!”

“But Your Majesty, I have something important to say,” Baroness Priya cried out in a voice full of grievance.

Everyone was already aware that the Lily Palace had been receiving more funds and goods than allowed by regulation. But what was so wrong about the Ministry quietly favoring a beloved concubine?

‘Everyone else does it too. Even Duchess Siela takes half of all the silk tributes! Why am I the only one getting singled out?’

Baroness Priya looked at the emperor, silently pleading her innocence.

However…

“Hmm…”

The emperor showed no interest, wearing only a bored expression even in the midst of this uproar. There wasn’t a trace of concern in the way he looked at the concubines.

“The power of the concubines ultimately depends on the Emperor’s favor,” Hailey’s earlier words came to Kincaid’s mind, and he glanced her way.

“When competition over favor arises like now, the only choice is to appeal directly to His Majesty.”

Having devoured countless romance fantasy novels in her previous life, Hailey knew the inner workings of the palace very well.

“And in a gathering like this, there’s a particular task His Highness, the Crown Prince, should do.”

“Tch… what a ridiculous commotion. If an official embezzled supplies, they should just punish him. There’s no need to cause this much chaos,” Princess Catherine said, looking back and forth between the two concubines in disbelief.

“It’s not just about that. Baroness Priya colluded with the corrupt official and secretly smuggled palace property!” Countess Bellamier declared.

“That’s not true! I’m innocent! His Majesty, in his boundless favor, has been generous with me lately, and the Countess is simply jealous, causing all this trouble!” Baroness Priya shot back.

“As if I would ever be jealous of a country bumpkin like you! Don’t forget — I’m a noble of higher rank than you!” Countess Bellamier snapped, her voice sharp with anger.

As their emotions flared, the two women hurled biting accusations at each other. Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager watched them both with a sly glint in her eye.

‘Now then, whose side shall I take?’

For the Empress Dowager, who had spent decades in the palace enduring endless schemes and political struggles, it no longer mattered who was right or wrong.
The only thing that mattered was calculating which of the two concubines would bring her the greatest advantage.

“The Empress Dowager will most likely side with Countess Bellamier,” Hailey calmly assessed.

“Why do you think that?” Kincaid asked internally.

“Because the Countess recently gifted Her Majesty the black pearl necklace she treasures most,” Hailey replied with a knowing smile.

‘…’

“Considering all the other circumstances as well, the Empress Dowager would judge that Countess Bellamier is more beneficial to her. And to favor the Countess, Her Majesty will surely bring up the matter of status differences.”

After saying that much, Hailey smiled sweetly and turned her gaze toward the Crown Prince.

“By now, you know what you must do without me saying it, don’t you?”

“What a disgraceful situation. The discipline and order of the palace have completely collapsed; this can no longer be tolerated,” the Empress Dowager said sternly, her sharp eyes fixed on Baroness Priya.

“This entire matter is solely the fault of Baroness Priya.”

At her declaration, the Baroness’s face turned deathly pale.

“Regardless of the circumstances, there are strict rules in the Imperial Palace. It is completely inappropriate for someone of a lower rank like you to receive more goods than Countess Bellamier. Such behavior undermines the palace’s hierarchy and discipline.”

“Your Majesty, but—”

Baroness Priya tried to protest.

“I will hear no excuses,” the Empress Dowager cut her off coldly and turned to instruct her attendant.

“Immediately retrieve all the excess supplies given to the Lily Palace.”

“At once, Your Majesty.”

‘Unbelievable.’

Kincaid exhaled sharply.

From the moment they had entered the Empress Dowager’s drawing room until now, every event had unfolded exactly as Hailey predicted — as if he were witnessing a divine prophecy come true before his eyes.

Even he, who had lived his entire life entangled in palace intrigues, had not foreseen this far.

Hailey Brooke.

Just what are you?