The empress’s party that arrived at the Second Annex Palace was guided by Viscount Catano to where Charte was.

As they got closer, the sharp sound of swords clashing grew louder.

Though she wanted to run immediately as time was of the essence, there were too many eyes watching, so she couldn’t.

Why were these people walking so slowly today of all days? The empress’s life was at stake, yet they maintained this elegant, aristocratic pace!

“Your Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress and Minister of Economy Ivester have arrived.”

Due to his sword training with Commander Rad, Charte was breathing slightly heavily.

And his disheveled hair, flushed face, and beads of sweat made him look more wild than usual.

Even in a life-or-death situation, he still looked handsome.

People like him were probably why passionate affairs happened.

Why was she filming a life-extension documentary with such a man instead of an intense melodrama?

She suddenly sighed.

For a moment, as she stared at Charte’s face, her thoughts seemed luxurious.

This man Charte’s face made her feel pathetic and frivolous.

To find him handsome even in this situation meant she was truly and deeply face-blind.

But was it because she saw him often…… why did she feel reassured?

“What’s all this commotion so early in the morning? The empress who should be under house arrest.”

He asked with his usual arrogant emperor’s face as if nothing had happened.

What commotion? Have you already forgotten that incident? As if it’s not your problem.

I couldn’t sleep at all, but you slept well and even exercised.

His cold words made her feel unreasonably hurt, and tears suddenly flowed.

Everyone present looked at her in surprise.

She too was surprised and didn’t know what to do, trying to wipe away her tears, but strangely, they wouldn’t stop flowing.

Then Charte’s low voice was heard.

“Everyone turn around.”

As she tried to turn around with tears flowing from her sorrowful heart, Charte grabbed her hand.

‘What? Is he holding a sword now? Why is his voice so scary? Is he stopping me from running away?’

She looked at Charte with a surprised, frightened face.

She could feel her hands trembling, and Charte’s gaze moved to her hands.

* * *

‘Is she this scared? That bold person who proposed a contract to me…… Well, someone with such a strong will to live would naturally be frightened in this situation where she could actually die.’

Lost in their own thoughts, the two looked at each other seriously.

In fact, Charte had been angry at both Princess Hyrelia and the empress.

How could the empress be so foolish as to fall into such an obvious trap, causing damage to the imperial family and making him worry?

Charte was furious, but seeing the trembling empress, he felt a hint of compassion.

‘Prime Minister Whyman, this is the last time your loyal service will benefit your daughter.’

Charte took out a handkerchief and handed it to her.

Not understanding the situation, she stood frozen like a wooden statue, just staring blankly.

Then his hand moved. Terrified, she flinched without realizing it.

Charte let out a brief sigh, but his hand approached Yun-ah’s face and wiped away her tears.

Reassured by his touch, Yun-ah began to cry even harder.

‘I’m going to live now. Thank you.’

Yun-ah, unable to hold back any longer, began to cry audibly before collapsing to the ground.

‘The imperial dignity disappears like the wind whenever it comes to this woman.’

Charte made a displeased expression, but spoke in an indifferent voice.

“Everyone withdraw until I call for you.”

Ivester tried to say something, but Viscount Catano shook his head and led him away.

Only Charte and Yun-ah remained in the backyard of the emperor’s palace.

Charte knelt on one knee in front of Yun-ah and looked at her with a pathetic expression.

“Can’t you maintain some dignity?”

‘You’re concerned about dignity at a time like this? Emperor, I’ll see if you have any dignity when you’re about to die!’

“You came because you have something to say, empress?”

Yun-ah forcefully held back her tears and nodded vigorously.

“I…… hic…… well…… hic.”

Charte sat on the ground and waited until Yun-ah calmed down.

After quite some time passed, Yun-ah finally spoke.

Charte’s expression grew serious.

His anger toward the two women who had deceived the Oneroad Empire and the imperial family began to rise.

“Viscount Catano! Bring Princess Hyrelia and Lady Viviana to the Main Palace immediately!”

Viscount Catano, who was standing at a distance, hurried to move at Charte’s fierce command.

“This is a disaster. We can’t have bloodshed…… in an imperial court that has just barely calmed down.”

As Charte stood up with a cold face, Yun-ah reached out and grabbed his pants.

Charte looked at her with a questioning expression.

“What…… will happen to Princess Hyrelia and Lady Viviana?”

“The princess has diplomatic immunity so she’ll likely be expelled, but the imperial citizen Viviana and even the Anderson family won’t escape unharmed, so don’t worry and go back to the palace……”

“I…… don’t want collective punishment. Besides, it was Viviana’s sister who revealed the truth. Mary’s loyalty in personally reporting her sister’s wrongdoing shouldn’t be questioned, so please forgive the Anderson family, Your Majesty.”

“But without making an example in cases like this, there’s a possibility of recurrence……”

“Still, it’s not just for someone who did the right thing to be punished. If that happens, I would feel heavy-hearted even if the truth came to light. And loyalty should be received through free will, not fear—fear can be overcome by greater fear, causing people to turn at any time. Punish those who did wrong and reward those who did good, Your Majesty.”

Charte frowned, clearly displeased, and fell into thought for a moment.

“Fine. I will accept the empress’s opinion, but in return, the empress should establish a proper hierarchy and restore discipline in the imperial palace. Take special care to prevent such incidents from happening again.”

“Yes, I will make sure nothing like this ever happens again.”

* * *

That very day, Princess Hyrelia was forcibly expelled, and Viviana was imprisoned.

“How dare you! How dare you lowly creatures lay hands on me, a princess! This humiliation, I will surely—”

“Surely apologize! To me!”

Princess Hyrelia’s gaze turned toward the source of the voice.

Yun-ah was glaring at her with cold eyes.

Princess Hyrelia’s mouth curled up at one corner.

As if mocking Yun-ah.

“Are you blaming me for your foolishness, Empress?”

“I didn’t know someone educated as a princess all her life could be this rude. You, who played with someone’s life, are not qualified to be a princess.”

“Hmph! You dare call me rude? Qualified to be a princess? An empress who falls for such things so easily is likewise unqualified to be part of the imperial family. Don’t you understand yet? The imperial court is a fierce battlefield. For someone who is supposedly a duke’s daughter to be this naive…… The empire’s future looks quite bright indeed.”

After hearing those words, Yun-ah dismissed the attendants and ladies-in-waiting around her.

Peggy gave her a worried look, but she firmly ordered everyone to leave.

After everyone left, Yun-ah strode toward Princess Hyrelia.

“What, what are you doing?”

Yun-ah grabbed Princess Hyrelia’s long, luxurious hair, wrapping it around her hand and yanking it.

Princess Hyrelia’s head automatically tilted backward.

“Kyaah! What, what are you doing? You!”

Yun-ah whispered in Princess Hyrelia’s ear in a low voice.

“Instead of worrying about the empire’s future, why don’t you worry about your own? I could pull out all your hair right here and now.”

“What are you doing! How vulgar.”

“Vulgar? You’re the one who acted vulgarly. How dare a mere kingdom’s princess mess with an empire’s empress? To be honest, you were too scared to attack the emperor directly, so you attacked me because I seemed easy. How pathetic, acting so high and mighty.”

“What, what are you saying? How dare you speak informally to me. Don’t you know about diplomatic courtesy? Let go of me right now!”

Yun-ah responded by tightening her grip and pulling once more.

“If you want to talk about diplomatic courtesy, you shouldn’t have done this in the first place. And if you want to leave our country safely, apologize in front of everyone.”

“This is all because of my sister……”

“Take your complaints about your sister to His Majesty the Emperor. I just want an apology for what you did to me. Adults should take responsibility for their own actions. Does being potty-trained make you an adult?”

“What? Did you just say potty-trained? How filthy and rude and vulgar……”

When Yun-ah pulled her hair again, Princess Hyrelia shut her mouth.

“Since you know so much about imperial politics and claim to be so good at it, I should learn it too, so apologize. Otherwise, I’ll pull out all this long, luxurious, soft hair!”

Yun-ah released the hair wrapped around her hand and called back the ladies-in-waiting she had dismissed.

“Let’s continue our conversation, Princess Hyrelia.”

But Princess Hyrelia kept her mouth shut like a clam, trembling and glaring at Yun-ah.

Yun-ah smiled, showing Princess Hyrelia’s pulled-out hair that remained in her hand.

“You seem quite arrogant now as empress, but no one knows when you might end up like my sister.”

After saying this, Princess Hyrelia’s face, which had been smiling smugly, turned more than 180 degrees to the left in an instant.

“How dare a mere princess speak informally to the empress!”

Princess Hyrelia, who had been slapped for the first time in her life, clutched her right cheek and collapsed to the ground.

As she left the princess behind, Yun-ah said,

“Throw her out right now, immediately!”

With Princess Hyrelia’s screams echoing through the palace behind her, Yun-ah headed to the prison.

To meet Viviana.

* * *

Viviana was crouching in a corner of the prison.

The sight briefly aroused pity, but when Viviana’s face filled with resentment upon seeing Yun-ah, that compassion turned into thin air and disappeared instantly.

“You should live your life forever grateful to your sister Mary.”

Viviana approached Yun-ah, who stood outside the prison bars, with a vicious expression.

“What did that girl do?”

Yun-ah clutched her throbbing head.

‘Good grief…… did they all eat courtesy as a side dish with their stew? They act so elegant and noble normally as aristocrats and royalty…… Human nature really shows when backed into a corner.’