Chapter 29

“Oh ho,” the Emperor clicked his tongue, urging me to continue.

“I cannot administer punishment without knowing the crime.”

“My crime is the injury of a royal,“ I confessed.

The Empress’s expression changed slightly, though it was barely noticeable due to her usual grace. I continued, keeping my hands respectfully on my thighs.

“As I mentioned, I was invited to a social gathering at Marquis Eriant’s estate where the second prince…”

I hesitated, and the Emperor waved his hand dismissively.

“Enough. There’s no need to go into details. I am aware of my son’s vile habits.”

Vile habits? That was putting it mildly.

Maintaining a respectful demeanor, I continued, “I am married to Grand Duke Zan. We have sworn fidelity to each other, and I wanted to protect myself at all costs.”

Even without such a vow, I would have defended myself, but using Julian as a shield was always practical. His high status proved invaluable.

“After escaping the second prince’s assault, I remembered leaving my maid behind. Realizing she was in his hands filled me with guilt.”

I placed a hand on my chest, adopting a pained expression and lightly biting my lower lip.

“I had much to contemplate. I anticipated Your Majesty’s anger, but I could not abandon my maid, nor could I ignore the chivalry I was taught by the Count of Winsley. Thus, I dared…”

I paused, preparing to say something bold, my entire body tensing as I spoke slowly.

“I dared to propose a deal with Your Majesty.”

It had become clear that this incident would not completely oust Prince Cain. If the Emperor did not abandon him, he would survive.

“I offer the rare mana stone in exchange for a pardon. I am content with the current punishment of the second prince.”

I realized this statement might anger the Emperor. Nonetheless, I wanted to convey that I, too, knew the punishment was more of a protection.

I remained kneeling, obedient in appearance but defiant in spirit.

The Emperor leaned forward, scrutinizing me with sharp eyes. The tension in the room was palpable.

“Do you think I will forgive you?”

I nodded solemnly. “Yes, Your Majesty will forgive me.“

“And why is that?”

“Because Your Majesty knows I will not pursue this matter further and because of the rarity of the mana stone I offer.”

Silence fell between us once more. Had I been too presumptuous? Such thoughts occupied my mind.

“Your Majesty, the Grand Duchess’s knees will bruise if she kneels, which will upset the Grand Duke. Please grant her pardon.”

The Empress’s gentle voice broke the tension, separating us softly. I looked up at her, and she smiled at me. I offered a grateful nod instead of a smile in return.

“The Grand Duchess knows her faults, repents, and understands the appropriate price. She would not have acted otherwise for a trivial matter. I am quite pleased with her. Sometimes, I wish to invite her to the palace for tea. Don’t you agree?”

The Empress’s soothing words seemed to appease the Emperor. He leaned back into his chair, regaining his regal posture. His voice was much softer as he addressed me.

“Grand Duchess, you have endured much. Take your maid and rest.”

I responded respectfully and left. As I hurried to find Marian, one of the Empress’s maids stopped me. Her face was familiar from my arrival.

“What is it?“ I asked politely, suspecting she was a noblewoman herself.

“The Empress wishes to speak with you.“

“The Empress?“

“Yes, she said it would be a shame for such a lovely lady to leave so soon.”

I smiled awkwardly at the lighthearted compliment but saw no reason to decline the Empress’s invitation, so I nodded.

Without verifying Marian’s condition, I followed the maid to the Empress’s palace and waited for her to arrive. She must have taken longer to extricate herself from the commotion.

As I savored the tea the maid served, I heard footsteps. Expecting the Empress, I stood with a smile.

“Who is here?”

The person who entered the drawing room was not the Empress but another silver-haired man. Though he shared the same hair and eye color as the second prince, their appearances vastly differed.

The man did not have the rough demeanor of the second prince. Instead, he possessed an air of frailty and intellect like the Empress. His pale skin and tall stature made him appear more like an intelligent and handsome man than a mere pretty boy.

A person with all the features of royalty could casually appear in the Empress’s palace without causing any commotion.

“I greet the Crown Prince.”

Such a person could only be Crown Prince Aslan.

Aslan, locking eyes with me, smiled with the same expression as the Empress.

“We have a lovely guest here.”

Prince Aslan approached me slowly. As he was royalty, retreating would have been disrespectful, so I stood still, smiling like a doll.

Despite his title, Prince Aslan was very courteous.

“May I ask which family you are from?“

One of the maids standing nearby stepped forward and whispered to him carefully.

“She is the Grand Duchess of Zan.“

Aslan’s eyes widened slightly with what seemed like regret, and he smiled again, looking remarkably like the Empress.

“I thought you might be a candidate for the Crown Princess, invited by Her Majesty. It appears I was mistaken.“

“No, not at all.”

I did not add that it would be an honor. After all, what did Julian lack compared to the Crown Prince?

“I had the privilege of an audience with His Majesty today, and the Empress graciously invited me for a chat.”

I politely spoke politely to Aslan, who nodded lightly and sat opposite me.

“The Grand Duchess of Zan. I had heard we would have a distinguished guest today.“

“It is an honor, thanks to His Majesty granting me an audience.“

“I wonder why the Grand Duchess is in the Empress’s palace after her audience with the Emperor.”

I knew why the Empress had summoned me. It was pretty obvious. I had tripped up Prince Cain right before her eyes and did so quite forcefully.

Although I had risked my neck, it was clear that I had openly opposed Prince Cain.

Prince Aslan and Prince Cain were rivals. The Empress, as Prince Aslan’s mother, naturally favored me. It was likely she wanted to draw the Zan family into her faction.

Aslan drank his tea gracefully, every movement exuding nobility.

“Grand Duchess, I came here to discuss with the Empress after hearing that the second prince has been confined.”

He clasped his long, white fingers together on the table, which were quite beautiful.

“And I suspect your visit to the audience chamber might be related to that incident. Am I correct?“

“I merely reported a crime. It was my duty.“

“Duty…”

Aslan murmured, lowering his gaze before looking back at me. His eyes shone brilliantly, far more than Prince Cain’s ever did.

“As a knight, you fulfill your duty. As Crown Prince, I also strive to ensure that those seeking wealth and luxury do not usurp this position.”

He was almost saying it outright. Perhaps the Empress had known Prince Aslan would come and had wanted us to meet. I softly traced the handle of the teacup with my fingers.

In my previous life, I had never been this close to Prince Aslan. I had only seen his silver hair from a distance. Unlike Prince Cain, Prince Aslan did not attend social parties and was always busy with his duties.

But that did not mean Prince Aslan was necessarily a good person. Nevertheless, someone who could present himself with such composure could not be on the same level as Prince Cain.

I looked directly at Prince Aslan and spoke.

“I only seek to prevent those with vile intentions from committing vile acts. Whoever stands in my way, I will cooperate with them if necessary and eliminate them if need be.”

Prince Aslan smiled approvingly.

“You are truly a knight. That is sufficient.”

His confidence was evident. The frail appearance he had initially displayed was no longer noticeable, concealed by his composed demeanor. I was secretly impressed by the Crown Prince.

We spent some time engaging in trivial conversations. However, the Empress did not appear. When Prince Aslan asked a maid, she quickly went to check and returned shortly.

“The Empress is delayed because the concubine pleads with His Majesty.”

Both Prince Aslan and I were silent for a moment. The concubine was the mother of Prince Cain and Princess Abigail. It was natural for her to get involved. Nevertheless, it was an obstacle in this situation.

“We do not need to witness the concubine’s pleas. What would you like to do, Grand Duchess? My mother will take some time to return, but she will not blame you if you leave now.“

“In that case…”

I could leave now. I nodded, but then a thought struck me.

There was another reason I wanted to be here, and standing before me was the Crown Prince, willing to join hands with me.

He would make an excellent accomplice.

“Your Highness, there is a place I wish to visit. Could you assist me?”

I asked with a graceful spread of my skirts. Aslan tilted his head in curiosity but soon extended his hand, offering to escort me. Smiling, I placed my hand in his.

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