Chapter 8 – Someone?

“Among the candidates on the list, isn’t it obvious that everyone except the House of Ernian secured their names through foul means? In that case, the candidate most befitting the virtues of an Empress would naturally be Lady Seilia, wouldn’t it?”  

At the mention of “foul means,” the High Priests’ faces turned even paler. Their past misdeeds flashed vividly in their minds.  

The saying that one’s life flashes before their eyes before death seemed to hold true.  

“If you cannot comply with this, you will have to pay for your despicable and petty crimes with your lives.”  

They considered asking “why,” but even getting as far as the “why” of “why not” made them fear their heads would be severed. They could only nod repeatedly in silence.  

Recently, the majority of the Irmandi Baronial family had been reduced to slavery due to corruption.  

Given the Emperor’s disdain for corruption, arguing before him would only lead to an obvious outcome.  

“Yes, we will comply.”  

Seeing the High Priests crumble so easily, Leo’s alluring lips curved into a crescent moon-like smile.  

The commotion in the High Temple was strangely and thoroughly kept secret.  

Seilia’s mood today was exceptionally good—or rather, it could be said it had been.  

She had finally been able to attend a social gathering after being unable to due to her frequent visits to the Imperial Palace. Yet, her slight annoyance stemmed from Leo’s request for her to stop by briefly before heading out.  

For someone like her, who hated anything bothersome, having to go back and forth twice was tiresome.  

Though she grumbled, her consistent visits to the Imperial Palace made the attendants look at her with curious eyes, as if sensing something unusual.  

After much deliberation, she chose a light blue dress that matched her platinum hair, which fell to her waist. She styled her hair in a half-updo, securing it neatly with an ornament at the back.  

Dressed more elegantly than usual, her doll-like appearance shone even brighter, to the point where even the maids who saw her daily couldn’t help but be amazed.  

Satisfied with her reflection in the mirror, Seilia faintly smiled and ordered the carriage to be prepared.  

***

As Seilia entered the grand entrance of the Southern Palace, someone stopped her.  

Turning with a wary expression, she recognized the person holding her back—it was Neir, Leo’s secretary.  

“Lady Seilia, you mustn’t go to the office today. His Majesty is currently taking a nap.”  

“Didn’t he summon me, saying he had something to discuss?”  

“Yes, he did. However, he seemed very fatigued and headed to his chambers about ten minutes ago.”  

Calling someone over and then taking a nap—it was far from pleasing.  

“Shall I guide you to the reception room to wait?”  

Seilia brushed off Neir’s gesture to lead her to the reception room.  

“If he’s sleeping, I can wake him up, can’t I?”  

“Pardon?”  

Neir was momentarily at a loss for words, stunned by Seilia’s unexpected remark. After a brief pause, he gestured again, as if to confirm what he had just heard.  

“As you can see, I’m not someone with the leisure to sit idly by waiting for others to wake up. Take me to his chambers.”  

Driven by impatience, Seilia nearly dragged Neir, who was adamantly trying to dissuade her, directly to the Emperor’s chambers.  

***

The area outside the Emperor’s chambers was quiet and deserted, likely due to Leo’s orders.  

Though tempted to kick the door open and shout for him to wake up, Seilia held back.  

‘How busy must he be to summon a guest and then sprawl out to sleep?’  

Grumbling inwardly, she pushed open the grand door.  

The room revealed behind the slowly opening door was the most lavish and spacious one Seilia had ever seen—by a hundredfold, no, a thousandfold.  

There was no time to gape in admiration.  

Tiptoeing silently, she approached the bed, which was surrounded by long velvet curtains.  

The thick, soft velvet curtains in a deep blue hue obscured Leo from view.  

“…Hmph.”  

Left with no choice, Seilia yanked the curtains aside.  

As expected, Leo lay beneath a thick blanket, his eyes tightly shut.  

She wanted to seize the opportunity to mess up that detestable face with her hands.  

However, her hand, which had reached out to his face, halted abruptly upon seeing his exhausted expression.  

His sculpted features were marred with traces of fatigue. His dark, weary eyes seemed so drained that it was as if he’d collapse without a nap.  

Indeed, since ascending to the throne, Leo appeared increasingly stern and dignified at the banquets they occasionally attended, yet also more fatigued and worn than before their parting.  

It was clear that ruling an empire left little room for peace of mind.  

But Seilia quickly stopped worrying or thinking about him. 

Why am I even thinking about this?  

She suddenly felt nauseous—because of herself.  

No matter how many times she vowed to forget and move on, she always broke her own promise.  

Pressing her forehead with her hand, Seilia closed her eyes briefly before opening them again, her gaze toward Leo now tinged with a mix of resentment.  

This time, however, it was her fault.  

Yet, with his hair partially covering his eyes, she couldn’t tell if he was truly asleep.  

Could he be pretending to sleep just to tease me again?  

Seilia unconsciously reached out and gently brushed his hair aside.  

Finally, his handsome face was fully visible. Confirming that he was indeed asleep, she began to withdraw her hand.  

But her cold, pale hand lightly brushed against his face—a fleeting touch that lasted less than a second. Surely, something like this wouldn’t wake him up, right?  

…But it did. 

One of Leo’s eyebrows twitched, and though he didn’t open his eyes, he swiftly grabbed Seilia’s slender wrist, pulling her toward him.  

“What are you doing, Seilia?”  

His voice, laced with irritation, ended as he opened his eyes.  

His green eyes were as sharp and fierce as expected, startling Seilia enough to make her instinctively pull back.  

“I-I thought you were asleep. It was just an accident. Let go.”  

Though he let her go without resistance, she still stammered, unable to speak properly.  

This was the same Seilia who had once slapped a bothersome noble across the face at a banquet and poured wine on the dress of a lady who repeatedly provoked her.  

It was unusual for the fiery-tempered Lady Seilia to seem so subdued in front of someone.  

“If you weren’t asleep, shouldn’t you have gotten up to greet your guest?”  

“I was asleep. But someone woke me up by touching me. It’s a little absurd to see the culprit scolding the victim, don’t you think?”

Seilia bit her tongue, unable to argue with his logic.

“Regardless, I’m asking why you touched someone who was asleep, Lady.”

The word “someone” left her feeling oddly unsettled. Would she have believed back then that merely brushing his hair would one day earn her such reproach?  

She bit her lower lip hard and frowned but avoided responding.  

“I’ve always dreamed of smacking your head once, so I was about to do that. Satisfied?”  

Leo widened his eyes as he sat up.  

“I don’t discuss such things with ‘someone,’ so I’ll take my leave for today.”

With an oddly polite demeanor, Seilia bowed and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.  

Only then did time slowly resume for Leo, who attempted to return to sleep.  

***

In a greenhouse attached to a garden, where butterflies of various beautiful hues fluttered about, a social gathering was taking place. Seilia arrived the latest, opening the door anxiously without having had the time to compose her expression.  

As the fragrant scent of flowers greeted her nose, she noticed that among those welcoming her was Revelia.  

And behind Revelia, who kept sending glances her way, stood Princess Blair.  

There was no need to manage her expression. After all, even if she tried, it would return to its usual state in no time.  

The cold gazes exchanged between the two seemed to spark like static electricity.  

Rumors were already rife that Seilia and Princess Blair did not get along, so there was no point in trying to deny it.  

Of course, Princess Blair quickly masked her frosty gaze with an innocent smile, so one could say she at least made an effort.  

Sensing the sudden chill in the air, Revelia, who had noticed the odd atmosphere, called out softly to Seilia, snapping her back to her senses. She walked over and found her seat.  

“I’m late, aren’t I? My apologies. I came as quickly as I could after leaving the palace.”  

Taking a seat next to Revelia, Seilia subtly emphasized her recent departure from the palace as she addressed a young lady she was acquainted with.  

While others waved off her apology, saying it was fine, a slightly annoyed voice could be heard amidst their responses.  

“There are rumors that you’ve been visiting the palace quite frequently these days.”  

Allowing a careless remark to flow in an unintended direction could sometimes work to one’s advantage.  

“Yes. Is there a problem with that?”  

Seilia’s response was calm, betraying no hint of the embarrassment they might have expected.  

“A problem… As Selection Day approaches, frequent visits to the palace to see the Emperor could suggest a certain intention, don’t you think?”  

Princess Blair’s words caused a stir in the greenhouse, and the murmurs of the young ladies echoed in Seilia’s ears.