Chapter 28

At the Empress’s words, Prince Cain’s face turned pale. If the Empress granted permission, the Emperor would find it difficult to refuse. More importantly, the Emperor himself seemed inclined not to reject the request.

Prince Cain immediately knelt before the Emperor. Even the prideful Prince Cain was just a helpless son in front of his father.

“Father! Please, reconsider.”

The Emperor sighed and looked directly at Prince Cain.

“It was the Empress who granted permission. Why are you pleading with me?”

At this, Prince Cain lowered his head and ground his teeth. He then turned to kneel before the Empress, about to beg.

“My decision remains unchanged. I wish to grant the Grand Duchess’s request.”

“Then so it shall be.”

The Emperor’s assent came quickly. It was said that despite the Empress’s frailty, the Emperor highly valued her wisdom. He seemed to have no qualms about following her lead.

The Emperor quickly signaled to his chamberlain.

“Lead the servants to search the Second Emperor’s palace immediately! And you, Cain, stay here. Do not interfere.“

“Father!”

His plea was desperate, but the Emperor threw a teacup at Cain’s feet and roared.

“Silence! I will cut out your tongue if that maid is found in your quarters!“

It was a grave offense for a prince to keep a mistress, especially without the Emperor’s knowledge. The history of a prince maintaining a harem and vying for the throne was not so distant.

Given Prince Cain’s demeanor, the search seemed almost unnecessary.

The Emperor knew of his second son’s fondness for women and the rumors surrounding him, but he had trusted that Cain would not cross certain lines. It seemed that trust had been misplaced.

The Emperor glared at Prince Cain with eyes full of anger. Cain knelt quietly by the shattered teacup.

“Grand Duchess, you may rise and take a seat.”

“I am unworthy of such grace, Your Majesty.“

“Rise, I say. Let us discuss Julian and the gift you have for me.”

The Emperor’s face suddenly lit up with a smile. The rapid shift in expression was startling, but at least for now, his smile was directed at me. He would side with me as long as I had the precious stone in my possession.

Reluctantly, I rose. At a gesture from the Empress, an imperial maid gracefully assisted me.

“Come, come, closer.”

Did he really mean for me to stand right there?

It was highly uncomfortable. With the second prince kneeling nearby and the maids busy cleaning up the mess, I was to stand close to the two most influential people in the empire. The Empress nodded encouragingly, and I felt an overwhelming urge to bite my tongue and end it all.

But this was also an opportunity. I walked calmly. The Emperor, like a grandfather, gently patted my hand.

This forced me to present the box with one hand, which was disrespectful. I worried I might be punished, but the Emperor seemed unconcerned. His focus was entirely on the box.

“Oh, is this it?”

He didn’t seem to care how many hands I used. He was only interested in the contents of the box.

When he opened it, the translucent, glowing rare gem was revealed. Though uncut and raw, its natural ruggedness and beauty were striking.

“This has nearly a thousand times the magic power of an ordinary gem, does it not?“

“Yes, Your Majesty. It is a scarce find.“

“How much of this has been discovered in the Duke’s mines?”

I smiled broadly and responded.

“Would it be too much to ask for your patience while I demonstrate?”

The Emperor laughed heartily and nodded. I spread my arms wide, tracing a large circle from head to toe. After finishing, I stood up straight and cleared my throat. I bowed again before speaking.

“Forgive my impudence, Your Majesty. But truly, a gem of this size has been found. I brought a portion to show you as soon as possible.”

The Emperor’s eyes widened, and then he laughed loudly. Even more surprising was that the Empress, watching my display, let out a small laugh.

When I looked at her in surprise, she covered her mouth and smiled.

“It has been long since I’ve heard you laugh aloud, Empress.“

“The Grand Duchess’s actions are childishly charming and delightful.”

The Empress looked at me with fondness. Her gaze was directed at me, not the rare gem.

“The Crown Prince has always been so dignified, devoid of playfulness. It is enjoyable to witness the Grand Duchess’s playful spirit.“

“If my actions have brought you joy, that is my happiness.”

The three of us laughed and chatted together.

Except for Prince Cain.

I told a story about the gem’s discovery when the chamberlain returned to the room. He bowed profoundly and swiftly approached the Emperor, reporting with a grave expression.

“Your Majesty, we searched the second prince’s quarters. We found…”

“Speak.“

“A woman wandering the halls. But she was not Marian. She was Lady Ari Eriant, the missing daughter of the Marquis of Eriant.”

The Emperor’s hand, which had been patting mine, tightened. His face flushed with anger, his forehead veins bulging.

“Grand Duchess, I apologize.”

The Emperor whispered to me and then picked up my teacup, hurling it towards Prince Cain. This time, it wasn’t aimed at his feet but directly at his forehead.

Startled by the Emperor’s violent action, I held my breath. Prince Cain groaned in pain, his head bowed. Red blood trickled from his silver hair.

“F-Father… please, listen to me…“

“Listen to what? Have you found the Grand Duchess’s maid?“

“Yes, with the help of Lady Eriant. But she was locked in a storage room and is in poor condition.“

“Marian…”

A voice of sorrow escaped my lips. I trembled slightly in shock, and the Empress gently held my hand.

When our eyes met, the Empress nodded with a kind smile. She then spoke on my behalf to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, while it is understandable that you wish to discipline the second prince, the maid, Marian, seems quite dear to the Grand Duchess. Treating her promptly should be the priority.”

The Emperor, still fuming, closed his eyes tightly. It was clear he was struggling to calm his anger. He was a formidable man.

“Well, see that Marian and Lady Eriant receive medical attention and are returned home.”

Then, with a cold expression, the Emperor spoke. His icy gaze rested on Prince Cain before turning away.

“Father! Father…”

Prince Cain clawed at the floor, his fists clenched in desperation. Losing the women he coveted was a minor loss compared to what he had indeed lost—the Emperor’s trust. The Emperor addressed him coldly as if he couldn’t hear Cain’s desperate pleas.

“The second prince will be confined to his quarters, and all his attendants will be replaced. They will serve as his guards, and should he contact anyone, all those involved will be executed.”

But that was all. It seemed lenient, considering the gravity of his crime.

I bit my lip secretly. Was this all the punishment for defying the Emperor?

At that moment, I wanted to run and sever Prince Cain’s head myself. No, I tried to scrape under his fingernails with a knife, then pull them out and burn each finger, subjecting him to slow, excruciating pain.

But now was not the time. Unlike in the past, my family had not fallen, nor had we been falsely accused of treason. Therefore, the punishment I could throw out was limited.

Everything was different now. I had to redefine my path.

With tears streaking my face, I transformed my expression into gratitude and knelt before the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, I am deeply moved by your boundless grace. Not only I, but my maid as well, will forever be loyal to you.”

As I bowed deeply, the Emperor signaled to one of his maids. She approached and helped me to my feet. I paid my respects once more.

During this time, Prince Cain remained crouched on the floor, trembling. The Emperor ignored him and gestured to the attendants.

They quickly escorted Prince Cain away, leaving only the Emperor, Empress, myself, and a few attendants in the room.

As the door closed, the Emperor’s expression changed from gentle to sharp instantly.

“Grand Duchess.“

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I quickly matched his tone, stepping back to my original position.

The Emperor looked down at me and slowly spoke.

“Thanks to you, the order within the palace has been restored.”

His voice was chilling, unlike when Prince Cain was present. I realized that Prince Cain had not been executed for treason, merely punished.

This made my blood boil. Julian, who was innocent, was being monitored to prevent his marriage, while the Emperor’s son, even if he was guilty of treason, would be spared.

Therefore…

I knelt immediately. My knees throbbed painfully from the previous bow, but I kept my expression steady and raised my voice.

“Your Majesty, you misunderstood!”

The Emperor looked at me with great interest and asked.

“A misunderstanding, you say. What misunderstanding could there possibly be?“ the Emperor asked.

“I did not intend to accuse the second prince of treason, Your Majesty. I merely sought to protect myself and show loyalty to you. I understand my actions might seem disloyal due to the events, but they were coincidental.“

“Grand Duchess, I praised you, yet you seem as if you are being reprimanded.“

“Even if Your Majesty does not accuse me of wrongdoing, I must explain and accept punishment if my explanation is insufficient. I learned this from my father, the Count of Winsley.“

The Emperor was silent momentarily, simply looking at me with half-closed eyes. Like an old fox, his gaze seemed to pierce through my very soul. I remained tense, kneeling.

“The Count of Winsley is a loyal man. I do not doubt that.“

“I am grateful, Your Majesty.“

“But it is true that you exposed the second prince’s crime. Has the Count of Winsley had a change of heart?”

It was a subtle question. The Winsley family had always remained neutral. The Emperor implied that perhaps the Grand Duke had shifted his allegiance to the Crown Prince, the next in line for the throne.

I shook my head.

“I swear, there has been no change.“

“Prove it.“

“If I had any other intention, I would not have presented the rare mana stone to Your Majesty. Even if I had, I would have concealed the true number. But the Duke of Zan always intends to offer rare mana stones to Your Majesty, so we are open about everything.”

Rare mana stones had vast uses. Unlike other stones, they had a high concentration of magic, allowing many functions to be imbued into small objects and contributing significantly to technological advancements. Their high value was a given.

The Emperor was silent again, considering my words. It seemed he found merit in my explanation as he spoke heavily.

“Why did you reveal the prince’s crime at this time?“

“There is a fault of mine in this. I ask for a fitting punishment.”

TL NOTE: A more advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories.