Chapter 2 – Part 7

“He acted like a madman, huh?”

Eric, who visited her sister after a long time, described the Marquis’s appearance that day, shaking his head. Tenere smiled bitterly.

“He must have been deeply disappointed.”

“It wasn’t just disappointment. He muttered the same thing several times. His eyes were unfocused, and I thought he might cry out of fear.”

“I’m sorry, it’s because of me.”

Eric looked at the now calm Tenere.

“Well, you didn’t do anything wrong. But, you could have comforted him a bit? I was even surprised.”

“I didn’t mean to do that.”

Tenere paused for a moment. Her pale eyes rolled around, and her slender fingers lightly tapped the handle of the teacup.

“I was just… upset.”

At that, Eric widened his eyes. It was a dumbfounded expression as if he heard something incomprehensible.

“You… got angry?”

Given the experiences they had gone through, it was hard for Eric to understand that his usually gentle sister could feel anger.

“Are you capable of getting angry?”

“It’s not like I planned to.”

Tenere looked at Eric with a sincere gaze.

“After the Empress passed away, he came back as if waiting for that moment and didn’t say a word of comfort. He didn’t show any concern for his daughter who collapsed after being shocked. He just seems to want to regain control over me since the Dowager Empress, who protected me, is gone.”

Thanks to this, Tenere could now understand clearly.

“Whatever I do, Father will… probably hate it, right?”

Eric had no answer. His silence meant agreement.

Marquis Evan had hated Tasha, his former wife, and held a grudge against Tenere, her daughter.

Whatever Tenere did, unlike Beatrice, whom she praised no matter what, Marquis Evan would hate her for it.

Although she never expected to be loved by her father, realizing this fact now felt somewhat ironic.

“Just… I’ve decided to accept it. I can’t help but be resented by my father.”

“Well, that’s…”

“I don’t want to be a burden to His Majesty.”

Eric, who was about to say more, eventually closed his mouth at her continued words.

He knew it too. The reason for bringing someone from a reasonably sized family into the palace wasn’t to strengthen imperial power or to take away the imperial authority from the family of the Empress. It was better to draw a line with the father who clung to the imperial family like a leech to suck its blood.

But would it be okay?

Eric looked at Tenere with a worried expression.

The Tenere he remembered was someone who would lower her head as if guilty when her father raised his voice even a little.

He couldn’t help but worry that if he provoked her unnecessarily, it might lead to worse results.

“I’m sure you can handle it on your own.”

But as always, Eric stepped back and spoke.

He was always an observer. He never once stepped ahead of Tenere, and his presence around her was barely noticeable outside the eyes of Marquis Evan.

When his father got angry, he played along, sometimes took the lead in teasing, or confronted his polite father.

Since he hadn’t received his title yet, he thought it was more reasonable to not openly confront his father, but rather to support Tenere without taking sides.

But was there no trace of cowardice in that reason?

So Eric was a sinner, whether when Tenere was at the mansion or now.

“Is there anything I can…… do to help?”

“You can continue as usual. There’s no need to be hostile to Father.”

Tenere smiled gently as usual. There was not a trace of resentment on her face. Only now did Erich feel a little relieved.

“But where did father go?”

“He must have been overwhelmed by the number of nobles who approached him after you became Empress. Viscount Landerck must have gotten the better of him. He seems to be hanging out at the same clubs as you these days, and gambling occasionally.”

Eric said, troubled. Nobles socializing in clubs was nothing strange, but the problem was the other party.

When Tenere understood the meaning of his words and opened her mouth.

“If this is Viscount Landerck, isn’t he…… Marquis Salvatore’s man?”

“That’s right. I told him to be careful, but he didn’t listen. Rather, it seems like he thinks Marquis Salvatore’s people have switched from him to our father.”

Marquis Evan had a strange rivalry with the Salvatore family, which had been engaged to the imperial family. Despite Tenere’s behavior, he seemed to feel a considerable superiority in the fact that Tenere eventually took the Empress’s seat.

“…I warned you before to be careful with Empress Beatrice.”

Eric brought up the story of the late Empress and glanced at her discreetly.

He knew about Tenere following her footsteps and her fainting for a few days due to her feelings.

“Now that I think about it, maybe I shouldn’t have said that. It’s weirder that they’re not close because of their children, they’ve been close since before you were born.”

“…”

“Father keeps prying into the Marquis family. Asking if he’s found Salvatore’s daughter… But seeing him not taking it out on you, it seems like he’s quite a noble person there too.”

“About Marquis Salvatore’s daughter?”

Tenere asked in surprise. Eric sighed deeply.

“He doesn’t even talk to me if I ask him about that. He actually asked what fate would the capital offer Lady Salvatore if ever she came back now that you are the Empress… But damn it, I’m amazed that the Marquis didn’t throw a glove at him.”

“…”

It was impolite to talk about the missing daughter, and Tenere was shocked to hear that he was talking about Aliana’s fate, especially considering that she was now in her supposed position.

“How can he say such things…”

“Father is getting out of hand, and he won’t listen when I try to stop him.”

Eric ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Tenere’s brow creased into a thin line.

“It wasn’t that bad until last year?”

There were many people around the Marquis who loved or were good at flattery.

He liked to hear flattering words from lower-ranking people and had no hesitation in flattering higher-ranking people.

Even though he was the father of the Empress, he was not one to speak to the Marquis Salvatore like that.

“That’s why it’s so strange, I almost wonder if he caught the Marquis’s weakness.”

“Anyway, will you turn away from your father now?”

Eric asked, changing the subject as if he were troubled. Tenere hesitated a moment but then nodded.

“I’m the Empress. I can’t be under my father forever…”

She was not without guilt. No matter how badly she was treated, she owed her life to her father.

She was never particularly loved, but she couldn’t help but worry how angry her proud father would be if she didn’t accept him.

But she was the Empress, and her first priority was not his feelings or his pride. Her power was to support the empire, not her father’s greed.

Drawing the line at this point was for the good of the empire, and for Leonard.

“I’m sorry. It seems like I’m just unburdening my burdens to you, who is in the mansion.”

Nevertheless, the fact that her brother, who was the only breathing hole in the mansion, had to bear her father’s anger alone was heartbreaking.

Eric looked at her with a grimace.

“You’re the Empress, why bother with such trivial matters? I’ll take care of the mansion affairs, so just focus on your duties.”

It was the usual grumbling voice. It carried a warmth different from that of Beatrice or Leonard.

Knowing this fact, Tenere smiled softly.
***

Since then, Marquis Evan continued to frequent the palace, but Tenere consistently declined his requests to visit her, citing busyness as an excuse. She even suggested through messengers that Evan should make appointments in advance.

However, Marquis Evan seemed to pay no heed to her words.

He appeared at the palace without notice, summoning Tenere, and if she didn’t come, he would return to his mansion in frustration. Other than that, not many significant events happened.

Tenere is the Empress, and Ludwig Evan is the marquis. As long as she remained in the palace, she faced no reproach from a father, nor the threat of a sword.

“…It should have been like this from the beginning.”

Amidst the guilt of mistreating her father, there was an undeniable sense of relief.

The initial difficulty of rejection quickly became familiar, and after six months, Tenere could handle her duties without impatience, even when told that her father was waiting.

However, life in the palace without the Dowager Empress was not entirely comfortable.

Some nobles, who had wanted to push their daughter into the position of empress, began to discuss her tenure even in official meetings.

“It’s been over three years since you, two, got married. Yet, there is still no news about an heir, and we cannot help but be concerned.”

“…What exactly are you trying to say?”

Leonard didn’t hide his displeasure. The usually gentle curve of his lips was now straight.

The nobles collectively exchanged glances.

“You should bear an imperial descendant, even if it has to be through the concubine.”

“Do you want to push your daughter as my concubine?”

At the direct question, the shoulders of the person who spoke trembled. Leonard stared at him sternly.

“You make me feel like a …… stallion.”

“Your Majesty.”

“I have no objections if a successor is not born into the Evan family. Why do you keep pressing me about an heir?”

Unlike the stern and cold Emperor who was consistently firm, Leonard was a more flexible and mild ruler. While this allowed for diverse opinions to be expressed in a relatively relaxed atmosphere, but it also meant that some people would occasionally get out of line.

“The survival of the imperial family is essential for the well-being of the empire. Please consider our advice about having a concubine…”

“But His Majesties is still young.”

It was Marquis Salvator who interrupted the viscount. His gravelly voice silenced the room.

“It would be better to patiently wait with more ease than to force through the concubine. Her Majesty should be allowed to ease her mind, and then an heir will naturally come. Constant pressure will only make her feel more burdened, don’t you think?”

The Marquis Salvatore, whose daughter had once been engaged to the emperor, took the side of the empress, and the nobles who were making a fuss quietly closed their mouths.

However, Leonard didn’t show any gratitude to the Marquis. Instead, his usually warm eyes were chillingly cold.

“…Let’s conclude this discussion here.”

Leonard moved on to the next agenda without further comment.

Salvatore, as always, maintained a polite attitude until the end of the meeting.