Chapter 159 – Hoping For Happiness (2)

At the same time.

Viscount Roteschu was still seething with anger at Rashta. When it was only the two of them, Rashta would look down on him to some extent, but when she was with her parents, she was outright brazen in her disrespect. Even though Viscount Roteschu was not one of the more powerful nobles, he still reigned like a king over his estate. He was stunned to be insulted by his own former slave.

“We’ll see. Does she think I’ll let it go on like this?”

He blew his nose into the blanket. How could he get revenge against Rashta without ruining her value? How could he break her and make her obedient to him?

As he crumpled back into bed, he saw his son, Alan, pass by. In his arms he was carrying the infant that looked like Rashta. Ahn giggled lovingly as Alan made cooing sounds at him.

That stupid idiot! Viscount Roteschu shook his head, pitying that his son so adored a child that could not officially take the family name. As Viscount Roteschu gazed at the baby, however, a thought struck his head and he shouted “Aha!”

The baby. His grandson was Rashta’s weakness! Shouldn’t he show Rashta the baby at least once? No matter how much she was favored by the Emperor, that didn’t mean she was invulnerable. Viscount Roteschu smirked and called Alan.

“Come here, Alan.”

“What is it, Father?”

When Alan approached, Viscount Roteschu held out his hands as if he were going to take the baby away.

“Father?”

Alan’s eyes widened. It seemed strange that his father, who once refused to touch the baby, wanted to hold Ahn of his own accord. The baby extended his hands, smiling brightly. Viscount Roteschu, grinning viciously, smiled and said, “Yes, I am your grandfather.”

However, Viscount Roteschu changed his mind less than half an hour later. A friend who often came to give him social news visited him.

“Viscount. Did you hear?”

“What? Anything unusual?”

“The Emperor may have a divorce!”

Viscount Roteschu stared in astonishment.

“What do you mean? Divorce?”

“I don’t know. The High Priest arrived out of nowhere and interviewed the Emperor and Empress in turn.”

“?”

“You doubt it? Of course it means divorce. Don’t you understand?”

Viscount Roteschu did not understand. Since childhood, he lived a life far from capital politics, and did not know how the Empress’ divorce would proceed. When he listened to his friend, it finally brought clarity. His friend drank three glasses of water as if he were astonished by this news as well.

“It must be because of Miss Rashta. His Majesty is so captivated by her. Completely head over heels!”

Viscount Roteschu had a much different reaction from his friend’s excitement. The Emperor’s divorce from the Empress was because of Rashta? He decided he had to carefully watch the situation. He didn’t know how this would all unfold—would Rashta benefit or be harmed by the divorce? There was no way to know. If sparks spattered on Rashta, then he would leave the capital immediately. If it benefited her, then he would take advantage of it!

Rivetti, however, had a completely different reaction. She had come to pick up the tea from her incapacitated father and his friend when she heard the news. She dropped the cup she was holding and screamed.

“Impossible!”

The friend was startled by the sound of breaking glass. Rivetti’s eyes were wide with shock. Did he say something wrong? While the friend blinked confusedly, Rivetti whirled around and fled to the room.

“Rivetti? Rivetti!”

Viscount Roteschu knew that Rivetti revered the Empress as an idol, and he got out of bed and called out to his daughter. However, his legs were in so much pain that he fell to the floor with a loud thump.

Rivetti went to her room, put on her cloak and gloves, and left. She soon arrived at the palace after urging her carriage driver to go fast, then went to a guard and requested to see the Empress. Rivetti had tea with the Empress, and she had asked to call her sister, so perhaps they were close…

As the young noble lady burst into tears, the guard eventually called to one of the Empress’ ladies-in-waiting and told her the story.

“Rivetti Rimwell is crying because she wishes to visit Her Majesty.”

The lady-in-waiting knew Rivetti’s name and passed it on to Navier.

***

I didn’t expect Rivetti to come crying to me this night.

‘What’s going on?’

I blinked in puzzlement, but I couldn’t send away a young woman who had come to me this late. As I went out into the parlor room, she was crying over a cup of hot cocoa that the ladies-in-waiting had given her. At my appearance, she jumped and wept louder.

“Lady Rivetti?”

As I approached her in surprise, I more clearly saw the river of tears streaming down her face.

“Your Majesty. Your Majesty. Is it true?”

“?”

“Are—are you truly going to be divorced?”

The ladies-in-waiting noticeably stiffened after her question. I could tell the same question was on their lips after the High Priest’s visit, but they closed their mouths and pretended not to know. Rivetti’s straightforwardness shocked them.

“Lady Rivetti! Excuse me!”

Countess Eliza quickly scolded her, but the curiosity was evident on her face too.

It had already come to this—what more could I hide? Everyone knew about the divorce process between an emperor and empress.

“It’s fine, Countess Eliza.”

I replied to her with as much calm as I could, and I gave a gentle smile.

“That is correct, Lady Rivetti.”

Laura screamed. The other ladies-in-waiting also began to murmur among themselves. Rivetti burst into tears, and the ladies ran towards me.

“Is this true?”

“Was that why the High Priest came to talk to you?”

“Was the Emperor asking for divorce from you, Your Majesty?”

“It can’t be!”

“You cannot accept it!”

The more the ladies spoke, the more red their faces became. Rivetti managed to calm down somewhat, and she spoke in a bold voice.

“It’s because of Rashta, isn’t it?”

“…”

“Your Majesty. Is what is happening because of Rashta?”

The ladies fell silent at the same time. Everyone seemed to have the same thought, even though they did not say anything.

I pondered for a moment on what to say. Rashta had a relationship with my husband, slept with him, mimicked me, made a laughingstock out of me, and lied about my brother and me. Sovieshu was involved with another woman, slept with her, humiliated me, made us a laughingstock, and destroyed our trust. Whatever Rashta did, he sided with her, wanted to make her empress, and decided to divorce me. If someone had greater responsibility for the divorce, it was Sovieshu. Emotionally speaking, they were both responsible. Rashta was just as bad as Sovieshu. But how could I express such a complicated feeling in a few words?

“I—I will avenge Her Majesty.”

When I didn’t say anything, Rivetti spoke up, clenching her fist.

“I will definitely take revenge.”

“…It’s alright.”

I smiled and patted her back. How could she take revenge? One is the emperor, and the other would soon be empress. Rashta hated Rivetti. There was a greater chance that Rashta would take her own revenge.

“Rivetti. Just think of yourself, not revenge.”

“No! If…if you get divorced, then I’ll follow you, Your Majesty! You can live with me! I’ll support you!”

That was certainly not possible. It is an honor among the nobles to serve the empress, but not a castaway. Besides, I could not take Rivetti to the Western Kingdom with me.

“Lady Rivetti, you are a very kind and wonderful person. How can I keep you waiting?”

After smiling and soothing her, I leaned in and whispered in her ear.

Don’t get entangled with Rashta.

Don’t get obsessed with the past, and focus on being happy in the present.

After I requested a knight to escort Rivetti home, I went to my bedroom and wrote a letter to my handmaids and to Sir Artina. Whether my remarriage was successful or not, I would have to say farewell to them. I wanted to do so in advance.

Thank you so much. Thank you for everything. Forget all your anger and be happy.

“…”

Tears formed in my eyes as I wrote. The droplets fell onto the paper, so I looked up at the ceiling.

Suddenly, there was a loud thump by the window.

‘Is it the blue bird?’

I turned my head in surprise. McKenna knew about the arrows. Was he here again? I ran to the window in amazement, and there was a bird on the window sill. But it was not the blue bird.

“Queen!”