Chapter 15 – Part 3

In the Empress’s palace, shouts echoed unusually loudly. The servants, already tense from the constant unrest, couldn’t relax. Among them, the calmest was Mary.

“Mary, why hasn’t His Majesty come? Isn’t it strange?”

Mary scoffed.

Only the Empress was unaware that the nobility of Terossa was like a ticking time bomb. The Emperor was feverishly hunting down those involved with Vails.

As a result, the other nobles were keeping a low profile. Moreover, the Empress had drawn attention to herself with her bizarre actions at the banquet.

In a time when even showing composure as a royal wasn’t enough, causing such a scene had certainly not pleased the Emperor.

Mary recalled what she had heard from a kitchen boy in the Emperor’s palace. Recently, they have been frequently preparing special meals for patients.

The Emperor seemed to be considering bringing back Prince Ailon. His intentions were clear as he weighed between an incompetent but grown son and a legitimate but fragile unborn child.

Mary bit her lip. There was still a chance, however slim. The only person in the room who didn’t know that the man the Empress should be seeking wasn’t the Emperor was the Empress herself.

Suppressing her irritation, Mary responded curtly.

“They say negotiations for a truce with Vails are underway, so he must be busy.”

“But I am to be the mother of the Crown Prince!”

Mary cursed internally.

‘Mother of a child? How absurd.’

A memory of something the Empress had once said made Mary stifle a laugh.

‘Well, I’ll take care of it myself. After all the fuss about introducing someone who performs so well at night, could I only call him once? Ah, I suppose it makes sense that I got pregnant after just one encounter.’

Yes. This was a good opportunity. No, it was the only opportunity.

Clinging to a rotting lifeline, Mary gently brushed the hair away from the Empress’s forehead and asked.

“Don’t you think this might be a good opportunity?”

“What do you mean, Mary?”

Having finished tidying the Empress’s hair, Mary slowly stepped back and turned her head. A servant with bright red hair tightly tucked under a hat and vivid red eyes reminiscent of the Empress’s was bowing.

“…I will give you the Crown Prince.”

***

In the annex where the Crown Prince resided, Evan anxiously waited for Anne, worried something might happen to her.

Contrary to Anne’s concern that he would be bored waiting for her, Evan found the anticipation exhilarating and enjoyable. He was eager to greet her with a bright smile and a tight hug as soon as she stepped out.

As Evan leaned against the window frame, looking outside, a familiar figure appeared in the faded window glass. It was his sister. With her light blonde hair swept to one side, Yvonne walked past him to look out the window.

“Brother, I need to talk to you.”

Her blunt tone made Evan nod, wondering if he had done something wrong to upset his sister.

“What is it?”

“…Is there a place nearby where we can talk privately?”

“Yes.”

“Then, please show me.”

Evan led her to the study adjacent to his bedroom. The awkward silence was filled only with the sounds of birds chirping outside and their footsteps.

Once inside, they sat opposite each other on the sofa in the center of the room. Evan spoke first.

“I didn’t know you were acquainted with Carly.”

“I didn’t expect you to join forces with Lady Carly either, but it’s a good thing. I’ve always liked her straightforwardness and cheerfulness.”

“Really?”

“……”

An awkward silence followed. Yvonne smiled uneasily and leaned back on the sofa, fidgeting with her hands and avoiding Evan’s gaze. Watching her, Evan felt a pang of guilt.

He hadn’t wanted to involve Yvonne in all this. He had so much to apologize to his sister for. He remembered, albeit faintly, a letter Yvonne had written before the return, read to him by Carly.

“Should I come now? If you read this letter, contact me. Our family… we should see each other one last time, brother.”

He also recalled Mila’s words as he left the Duke’s mansion.

‘My lord, please take good care of Lady Yvonne too. She was always cheerful and lively but missed you a lot.’

Mila had handed him a scrapbook. It contained only clippings of articles related to battles Evan had participated in, neatly organized. Below the articles, Yvonne had added small comments.

– It’s a relief you’re safe. But when will the war end?

– Was I too indifferent? But you’re not the type to be upset about not receiving a single letter, right?

– The payment for maintaining dignity is the same as usual. The income must have decreased, so where is it coming from?

– There are rumors about you. It’s strange. Really strange.

“Yvonne.”

Yvonne, almost unconsciously, touched her arm. Hearing her name from her brother after so long, she felt awkward and goosebumps rose on her skin. She awkwardly avoided Evan’s gaze and responded.

“Oh, sorry. I was just thinking. To get to the point…”

“I’m sorry I haven’t been attentive.”

What did I just hear?

Yvonne blinked slowly, thinking she had misheard. She quickly waved her hands dismissively.

“Evan, I think you misunderstood. I came here because…”

“I always considered you family. But…”

‘The reason I couldn’t reply to your letters is because I thought it was all my responsibility.’

Evan couldn’t voice his apology for not responding to Yvonne’s letters before the return but repeated it internally. Driven by the debt he felt toward his sister, he couldn’t continue treating her like a stranger.

“I’ll be in touch more often from now on.”

“What? Oh!”

Yvonne couldn’t hide her surprise but also felt joy. Her brother, whom she had only watched from afar, now felt closer for the first time. Unable to bear the awkward silence, Yvonne slammed her hand on the table.

“Evan, I’ve got something.”

“……”

“The palace physician came to my room. He revealed that the Empress’s pregnancy was actually a phantom pregnancy and that she might be infertile. Even just these two points will cause a huge stir.”

Evan couldn’t hide his shock at Yvonne’s words.

“The physician is supposed to report in three hours on how to prove the Empress’s guilt. What we need now is to bring in some physicians from the capital hospital to back this up.”

While it was welcome news, Evan rubbed his chin in thought.

“Hmm.”

“Evan, is there a problem?”

“We need solid proof that the Empress is not pregnant. But that’s not easy. No matter which physician we bring, and…”

“You’re thinking that the physicians in the palace might have already been bribed by the Empress?”

“Exactly.”

Yvonne had considered this but believed that merely planting doubt about the Empress would be a significant gain.

After a moment of contemplation, Yvonne spoke up.

“If we bring a couple of physicians from the capital hospital, we might have a chance. If the Empress publicly announces a miscarriage, we can ask them to verify if she’s lying.”

But it was clear that no one from the capital hospital would want to get involved in this matter.

“If the Empress’s body shows no signs of a miscarriage after she claims one, suspicion will naturally follow. I need to go.”

“No. What about the truce negotiations? It’s better to send someone.”

“…No. I must persuade them personally.”

As the Duke, Evan was the only one who could command the respect of the physicians. Besides, if they took too long to arrive, they might miss the crucial moment.

‘It’s also a good idea to bring a perfect witness while on the way.’

Evan stood up, putting on his outer garment. This was an opportunity to bring down Empress Laviela, who threatened Anne and everyone around him.

Meanwhile, Yvonne grabbed Evan’s sleeve.

“What about the palace physician who can bring the most conclusive evidence?”

“…You’ll have to handle him again. The most important thing is to get the medical report in advance. That alone will be enough, so don’t worry. I’ll be back before the truce negotiations.”

Yvonne shook her head.

Until now, the butler and her brother had handled all the important matters. Yvonne had only received training and never actually taken on responsibilities herself.

“I’ve never done this before…”

“I’m sorry. I have to ask for your help again. There’s no one else I can rely on.”

Yvonne’s eyes widened. She couldn’t speak, but her surprise was evident.

After speaking, Evan walked away without looking back. Yvonne’s heart began to pound.

* * *