Translator: Aura

/ Editor: Maybe

“Your Majesty!”

Marquis Karl opened his mouth in surprise.

Letters sent by the rulers of neighboring countries were supposed to be kept. However, he crushed it into a ball and then threw it on the floor.

It was important to keep it for future generations.

Sovieshu stood up coldly and began to step on the letter.

“Your Majesty!”

Marquis Karl called him again in an attempt to stop him. But he immediately fell silent and let Sovieshu do as he pleased.

Come to think of it, future generations who might read this letter would learn about the relationship between Emperor Sovieshu and King Heinley… At least they would think so.

Sovieshu only returned to his place after stepping on the letter a few more times. However, he was still angry.

When he saw Heinley’s letter, he remembered Navier holding his hand tightly.

Once he sat down, he leaned back in his seat.

As he closed his eyes and began to massage his temples, he heard Navier’s voice.

— No.

A firm, cold voice.

— No.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

The incessant repetition of her voice made his head ache even more.

Sovieshu opened his eyes again and only then did the voice disappear.

“Your Majesty?”

Marquis Karl called out worriedly to Sovieshu.

But Sovieshu did not answer, he simply sighed heavily.

On the day of the last wedding reception, he impulsively went to visit Navier. When he saw her standing in front of King Heinley’s door, he suddenly regretted everything.

He felt that everything was wrong. A sense of dread rose up inside him as if the world would collapse if he did nothing to make things right.

He didn’t know why. Even now. But at that moment, that sense of dread was so intense that Sovieshu couldn’t help but approach Navier and say,

— Come back. I don’t want you to be another man’s wife. We are a married couple, Navier.

Judging by her face, Navier looked a little surprised.

Her eyes opened wide and she looked at him as if to say, ‘What are you talking about?’

Then, she raised an eyebrow and said with a slight smile,

— No.

That simple answer made him furious.

The unknown dread was replaced by anger. So instead of insisting, he turned around and left.

But why do I remember it now with such sadness? Why was the feeling of emptiness greater than the feeling of anger?

“Your Majesty?”

Marquis Karl called out to Sovieshu again. Sovieshu finally put aside his thoughts and said, staring at the crushed letter on the floor, “Navier seems to want to provoke me.”

“What?”

“It’s obvious she’s pretending to have a good relationship with King Heinley in front of me.”

“…”

“Let’s keep the invitation for now.”

Sovieshu closed his eyes again after indicating that he could leave. However, Marquis Karl just picked up the crushed letter and hesitated to leave.

Sovieshu opened his eyes and stared at him.

What is the matter?

When their eyes met, Marquis Karl carefully expressed, “Your Majesty, I would like to comment on something regarding the Empress’s donation.”

“Navier’s?”

“… Rashta’s.”

“Ah. Rashta.”

Sovieshu frowned and said, “What about Rashta?”

“She said at the wedding reception that she would donate 20 million krangs, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Is it possible for her to donate that amount?”

“I already confirmed that part with Baron Lant. It will be through imperial promissory notes.”

“Imperial promissory notes?”

Marquis Karl asked puzzled, and Sovieshu replied as if it was normal, “They must have been left by Navier.”

“Queen Navier?”

Marquis Karl’s eyes widened in shock.

So Empress Rashta acted like a kind person while using Queen Navier’s money!

“In that case, wouldn’t you have to get them back, Your Majesty?”

But Sovieshu calmly replied, “It’s already done. Anyway, there won’t be any trouble unless I report it. Let’s forget about it.”

“But…”

“It will also help improve Rashta’s image.”

‘Will that be alright?’ Marquis Karl was worried.

Not about this matter, but about Sovieshu.

Although he seemed to miss Navier, he was still protecting Rashta.

What if his current actions lead him to greater regret in the future? That was what really worried the Marquis.

Meanwhile, Rashta was now savoring the greatest happiness.

She slowly looked around the Western Palace, feeling proud.

Elegant arched staircases, rooms for her guards, a spacious foyer, a splendid drawing-room, and a magnificent bedroom…

All of this was hers.

In the imperial palace, this building was exclusively for the empress.

Here she will have her child and live comfortably. After a long time, her child will ascend to the throne.

When her child became the new emperor, she would become the emperor’s mother.

‘I will give birth to and raise the ruler of this vast empire!’

Rashta shivered as she looked out the window, overwhelmed by her emotions.

She climbed up from the bottom on her own. She was different from those who were lucky enough to be born into rich and powerful families.

They lazily followed a set path all their lives, but she did not.

She came off of the cliff and climbed the steep terrain to the top.

Rashta smiled.

Now that she had become the Empress, she thought it was all over.

She considered it her victory, the happy ending.

The Empress of the Commoners? She never wanted to be that in the first place.

What did commoners do for themselves? She hated the nobles, but she also hated the commoners.

If she had to choose any… she would choose the slaves.

‘Now it’s all up to me!’ The Empress’s power is immense.

Rashta pressed her fist against her chest. Otherwise, she felt her heart would burst out at once.

The scene of the wedding reception.

Just thinking about that moment gave her goosebumps.

The shouts of joy from those present…

“Everyone loves Rashta.”

Once rumors spread that she had donated 20 million krangs, her popularity would increase even more.

A future surrounded by flowers, silk, and jewels would be in store for her.

Rashta turned around, pleased. However, her only lady-in-waiting, Viscountess Verdi, had no expression of joy.

“What is it?”

Rashta approached her quietly, and asked,

“Why aren’t you smiling?”

Viscountess Verdi replied dazedly, “What?”

Rashta looked at her carefully, tilting her head slightly.

“Why aren’t you smiling? Is it because you don’t like Rashta being here?”

Viscountess Verdi was surprised and quickly denied it, “No, of course not.”

“Is it because you remember the deposed empress? Did coming here make you miss her?”

“No, not at all,” the Viscountess hastily denied. Rashta looked at her suspiciously with her arms crossed.

When she was a concubine, she had to be wary of others.

A concubine had no power. Even legally there would be no problem if someone intimidated her.

The nobles had only been kind to her because of the Emperor.

But now she was the Empress. If someone bothered her, that person would have to take the consequences.

She wanted to try this as soon as possible.

“It really isn’t like that, Your Majesty.”

“Then I want an explanation.”

Rashta smiled and lifted Viscountess Verdi’s chin.

“Why do you look subdued on such a happy day?”

“!”

Viscountess Verdi hesitated, but Rashta’s mood was such that if she didn’t tell the truth, she would be in real trouble, so she finally confessed, “The drawing-room was supposed to be filled with gifts from the nobles.”

Rashta panicked and replied, “What?”

Gifts?

She was in her bedroom now, but she had just passed through the drawing-room.

The drawing-room was clean and furnished, but she hadn’t seen any gifts.

Rashta went back to the room to check.

As she had already expected, there were no gifts.

“Should there really be gifts?”

When Rashta asked suspiciously, Viscountess Verdi replied, “I have only experienced this once in the past, but certainly half the room was filled with gifts when Empress Navier first came here.”

“!”

“It took her several days to go through the gifts and write letters of thanks. I remember it clearly.”

Rashta froze completely at Viscountess Verdi’s words.

She felt as if the blood was being drained from her face, suddenly turning cold.

What did this mean?

During the wedding receptions, all the men wanted to dance with her, and all the women spoke kindly to her.

Everyone, regardless of age or gender, praised her.

Then why? Why didn’t anyone send a gift?

Eventually, her face twisted sharply.

The answer was obvious to her.

Navier.

What did the deposed empress do while in the Western Empire?

The people ignored her and the nobles were kind to Rashta. That’s obviously why she spread bad rumors about me everywhere. Besides, she’s smart enough to do that.

“How despicable…”

Rashta muttered, grinding her teeth.

Seeing her reaction, Viscountess Verdi took a bewildered step back.

“I’ll do the same.”

“!”

“I’ll go to her wedding and do the same.”

At that moment, she noticed a small gift. It was a difficult gift to distinguish because it was on the soft rugs.

Rashta quickly ran over and picked up the gift.

Then she swore.

No matter who sent this gift, I will offer my sincerest friendship to that person.

Upon opening the gift, she found a small ring but with a large jewel.

The name of Duke Elgy was written on the inside.