I Possessed The Immoral Empress

Trapped under gray clouds, where the sun had never risen, the dark land was covered in white snow. Due to the extreme cold that froze even breath, not a single blade of grass could take root in this icy earth.

Ermedeline was walking alone on this path, barefoot. Although blood continuously flowed from her frostbitten feet, leaving stark red marks on the white snow, she had long lost any sensation in her feet. 

Wouldn’t it have been better if she had never known? If she had never felt the warmth that could melt this frozen body, she wouldn’t have to experience the pain of thawing from frostbite, potentially losing her fingers and toes.

But Ermedeline was already addicted to that warmth. In this endless, harsh winter land, she had become incapable of living without him, who brought a spring she had never experienced before.

‘Yes. As long as I’m alive, as long as I’m alive, I can meet him again. Parting now is not the problem. I must let him go for now.’

Thinking of walking the winter land alone again, without him, without his warmth, Ermedeline was frightened. Yet, she thought waiting for a future spring day with him was better than giving up on spring forever.

She wanted to leave with him right away, but if her father found out she had gone with him, he would never stop chasing them. To ensure his safety, she had to act like her father’s loyal daughter for now.

‘If Henry doesn’t become a threat, maybe my father won’t bother to chase him down to kill.’

Ermedeline became anxious. This was not the time to lie down in pain. She had to send Leopold away from here immediately.

“Ugh.”

Trying to force her body, still heavy with the effects of poison, out of bed, a groan escaped her lips. Biting her lip until it almost bled, Ermedeline forced herself up.

Wobbly, her still weak body soon lost its balance and fell.

‘What’s happening? Why do I feel nauseous?’

And then, sudden nausea hit her. Having eaten nothing for two days, she began to vomit.

“Ugh, ughhh, errrgh…”

After a long moment of inexplicable retching, Ermedeline suddenly remembered that her menstrual cycle was long overdue.

And with that realization, her witch’s sensitive body felt another, albeit faint yet potent, magical potential within her.

Ermedeline was momentarily incapable of any thought. She was overwhelmed with joy at the realization that she carried his mark within her, yet devastated that she could not show any reaction to it, saddened by the imminent parting from him.

But instinctively, she knew. The child within her would be the bond that forever tied her and him together. That he was the very spring he brought to her.

‘Sure. As long as we have this child, we can meet again anytime. This child will forever bind our destinies.’

With the realization that she now had twice as much to protect, Ermedeline wanted to rush to Leopold immediately, but she found herself unable to move easily, overwhelmed by a wave of sorrow.

‘I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to! Just when I could finally have a family!’

Ermedeline knelt on the floor, sobbing quietly for a long time. The moments she had felt truly alive, though brief, were now coming to an end.

After a long bout of sorrowful crying, Ermedeline finally gathered her wits and stood up. Regaining her composure didn’t alleviate her physical pain, but she endured the terrible agony and walked to find Leopold.

Bearing pain was something Ermedeline was all too familiar with. With all her strength, she dragged her body, heavy as if carrying unnecessary burdens, to the stable where she met Leopold, avoiding her father’s watchful eyes.

As expected, Leopold was there, waiting for her after not seeing her for two days.

“What have they done to you this time!”

Although Leopold couldn’t raise his voice, he asked in an agitated tone.

“Oh, the same as always.”

Strangely enough, Ermedeline felt the pain that had been consuming her body lessen the moment she saw him waiting for her. Just the sight of him filled her soul and body with happiness.

Ermedeline wanted to rush to him and share the joyful news, but she forced herself to maintain a cool expression.

“Leave.”

“What?”

“Leave this place.”

Briefly angered by the miserable state of the woman who had appeared after two days, Leopold was confused by her abrupt demand.

“What do you mean by that?”

“We’re breaking up. Leave here right now.”

Leopold was already preparing to flee with Ermedeline. She knew that unless she did this, he would never leave on his own. But if he stayed, they would only face her father’s relentless pursuit.

“Break up? Who? You and me?”

Leopold shook his head in disbelief, still unable to grasp what she was saying.

“Yes. I’m tired of it. Tired of playing house with you.”

At her claim of being tired, Leopold’s golden eyes quickly began to fill with moisture.

“Tired, you mean you don’t love me anymore?”

He asked, even though his shaking head indicated he couldn’t believe it was true.

“No. I would have to have loved you to stop loving you. I just found you somewhat amusing for a while, but now I’m bored, so leave.”

Ermedeline’s heart was breaking with every word she forced out, but she believed this painful deception was necessary to ensure Leopold’s safety and the future of their unborn child.

Leopold stepped back in shock at Ermedeline’s declaration of not loving him, eventually collapsing to the ground.

“What? What are you talking about all of a sudden? We planned to escape together. Everything was set for next week. Why now?”

“I thought I could bear it until you left next week. But seeing your face has become so tiresome I can’t stand it anymore.”

Ermedeline hoped her cruel words would make him accept the situation before she said anything more hurtful.

‘Please, please believe me. Just leave me and go!’

Yet, Ermedeline’s desperate plea didn’t reach Leopold.

“Lies. Don’t lie to me! What happened? Why? Did my father find out about us? Did he tell you to leave me? If that’s it, I’ll talk to Duke Francoise myself! I’ll handle it…”

“I’m pregnant!”

Leopold’s mention of confronting her father wrapped Ermedeline in immense fear. Although he often appeared as just another noble indulgent in luxury, he was a cold-blooded man who wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone standing in his way.

Leopold, despite his dislike for Duke Francoise due to Ermedeline, had never fully grasped the duke’s cruelty, having not witnessed it firsthand.

“A child?”

Leopold’s lips twitched as if he was happy, but he frowned sadly, staring at Ermedeline.

“Yes, a child. I’m pregnant before marriage because of you! Do you understand how catastrophic this is for me?”

Of course, Leopold knew. He was well aware of the ordeal an unmarried noble lady would face if she became pregnant.

Leopold’s mother, Innian, despite her high status, had endured decades of ridicule and disdain for bearing a bastard.

That one night with Ermedeline was not merely a moment of pleasure for Leopold; it was a vow to stay with her for the rest of her life.

And he had believed Ermedeline felt the same.

“Yes, I know. But you won’t have to bear a bastard! Marry me right now…”

“No. Why should I marry you? Why should I have the child of a man I don’t love?”

With each word against her true feelings, Ermedeline felt her soul tear a little more, but she couldn’t stop. Only by leaving this domain immediately could there be a chance for him to survive.

Ermedeline decided to drive the final nail in, seeing Leopold’s face pale to the point of ghostliness from shock.

“I’m going to get rid of this child. I’ll erase everything about you, as if it never existed. Then I’ll become the empress.”

Even as she spoke, Ermedeline felt her heart shatter, but there was no need to hide her grief.

For the first time, she realized that when a person’s emotions exceed their limits, they can become eerily calm.

It seemed Leopold was experiencing the same. His empty eyes showed no emotion, as if his soul had departed.

He briefly lifted those vacant eyes to look up at Ermedeline. Spring moonlight sneaked through the narrow gaps of the stable, touching his face before scattering into a pale glow and disappearing.

Ermedeline did not avoid Leopold’s gaze. She wanted to see his face for even a second longer before their inevitable parting, to etch the face of the man who brought spring to her eternal winter into her soul.

After a moment of deathlike silence, Leopold spoke.

“If that’s what you want, then I’ll leave.”

He stood up and walked past her, disappearing just as she had when they first met, leaving Ermedeline alone. No tears flowed from Ermedeline’s eyes. She had become strong. Or rather, she had to become strong. Now, she had to protect the only tie left between her and him, the child in her womb, from her father and brother who could kill her at any moment.

‘Let Henry do whatever he wants with the empire. Become the empress? I’ll try. Once he achieves his goal and I’m no longer needed, I’ll ask to be let go. Then, I can go to Leopold with our child!’

Ermedeline vowed to protect the small life within her as she moved forward. It was a strange thing. Until moments ago, she hadn’t even been aware of this small life, and now, with every step, she could believe it was growing inside her.

‘Don’t worry. I will definitely protect you.’

Reading her diary, Ermedeline wept silently. The sorrow of losing him and the joy of carrying his child were conveyed to her.

‘My family. My family that no sharp knife in this world can sever.’

These were the words written by the original Ermedeline, referring to her child. Yes, family. The real family that both Hyeyoung, who was an orphan, and Ermedeline, who grew up in a family worse than orphans, had longed for. The one thing that two souls, with nothing else in common, both yearned for.

After collecting her emotions and moving on to the next page, Ermedeline was faced with terrible despair. The pages filled with forcefully written words, where the ink had spread in places, were full of hatred and murderous intent towards everything in the world.

‘I can’t forgive! I will not forgive! I don’t need anything! I will have my revenge on everyone, everyone will pay the price!’