I Possessed The Immoral Empress

He thought it would be fine if she wasn’t his.

After all, she is someone else’s wife.

Even if it was a marriage in name only, he didn’t want to create any flaws that could tarnish her honor.

He convinced himself it was okay, that it was alright as long as she could break free from all these sins and grudges and find freedom.

But it was a blatant lie.

Even when we weren’t face to face, he constantly thought about her, and when her breath was close enough to touch his hand, he was breathless with the desire to reach out to her.

Ermedeline getting close to the priest Arvian was already igniting unworthy feelings in his desperate heart, and now another man had appeared.

Felio felt like killing Arvian, Leopold, and Henry right now and leaving Trivian with Ermedeline.

Blue sparks began to flicker from Felio’s body as he barely held back the dangerous impulse.

Although the Batistian family used fire-resistant fabric to make clothes in preparation for such situations, it couldn’t prevent all damage.

If the caster’s magic was stronger than the protective spell on the clothes, the fabric was just fabric.

Soot began to form on Felio’s clothing.

Seeing this, Ermedeline thought she had to calm Felio down somehow before his clothes caught fire.

“We are not…”

But Ermedeline stopped talking.

She didn’t want to lie to him anymore.

It troubled her enough that she wasn’t telling the whole truth, but now Felio was directly asking about her relationship with Leopold.

If she said they were nothing, it would be deceiving him outright.

Moreover, Ermedeline didn’t want Felio to misunderstand her in any way.

She never had any hope for a relationship with Felio, but she didn’t want to be misunderstood about another man.

The feelings she intended to keep to herself forever, not giving to anyone if she couldn’t give them to him.

Feelings she couldn’t voice aloud, or even acknowledge to herself when alone, but still precious to her.

“Prince Leopold is Ferdant’s father.”

“!!”

Felio’s face turned as pale as if he had seen a ghost.

Arvian, already aware of the situation, closed his eyes tightly and wiped his face with his palm.

“Before Prince Leopold left Trivian, he stayed at the Francoise Duchy’s castle. Ferdant was conceived then.”

“…”

Felio stood there, completely lifeless, unable to react, watching Ermedeline calmly reveal the truth.

“Not long after discovering I was pregnant, we parted ways. Of course, Prince Leopold didn’t know about the child. Since then, we lived not knowing if the other was alive or dead until Ferdant’s existence was revealed at the first trial you presided over.”

“…”

“I was just terrified of the suddenly reappearing Prince Leopold. I have no feelings left for him at all, but if it’s revealed that he’s Ferdant’s father…”

“Henry would never let him live.”

Arvian, who had been sighing continuously beside them, interrupted.

“You knew?”

At his words, Felio’s expressionless face quickly turned into a fierce scowl as he looked at Arvian. Felio seemed more shocked by the fact that Arvian had known this information beforehand than by the enormous revelation he had just heard.

“Yes, I knew. Unlike you, I don’t get emotionally involved and shout, so I was likely to know beforehand.”

“What?”

“Think about it. If Ferdant is Leopold’s son, it means he’s the grandson of the previous emperor. This is a politically sensitive issue. Her Majesty the Empress didn’t say anything for your sake.”

At Arvian’s words, Felio’s gaze shifted to Ermedeline.

“Y-yes. I just didn’t want to involve the prince in an already complicated situation…”

“Enough.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t make excuses. You just chose to tell the priest Arvian instead of me, didn’t you?”

Ermedeline couldn’t respond to Felio’s sharp reaction.

“I suppose it’s my fault for not earning your trust. Let’s just return to the palace.”

With a cold expression, Felio turned his back on Ermedeline. Watching his retreating figure, Ermedeline could only bite her innocent lips in frustration.

The three of them were silent on the way back to the palace. However, Arvian, with his mysterious powers, heard many things.

‘Oh, how will you manage if you feel like dying over this? Your soul is turning more purple than when your whole body was on fire. Do you like this fool that much?’

While Arvian clicked his tongue inwardly and observed the two troubled souls, they arrived at the imperial palace.

“I’ll be going now.”

As soon as Felio entered the palace, he gave a brief greeting and turned away.

‘Oh, this narrow-minded guy. He’s more upset that I knew the truth first than about Ferdant’s identity?’

“Let’s go inside.”

Arvian shook his head at Felio and looked back at Ermedeline.

“…”

Ermedeline stood there like a statue, her face looking as if she might die any moment, staring at Felio’s receding figure.

“Ah, really.”

Arvian didn’t care whether Felio was hurt or jealous, but seeing Ermedeline’s soul bruised all over was painful for him. Because her soul was so pure, her wounds were particularly visible.

Arvian hurriedly caught up with Felio.

“Hey!”

“?

At the sudden call, Felio furrowed his brows and glared at Arvian.

“Because it was you. She couldn’t tell you because it was you.”

“?”

“You idiot.”

Arvian knew that Felio couldn’t easily grasp the complex psychology of women, but he didn’t want to explain any further.

‘This simple-minded fool. If you don’t understand what I’m saying, just stay sulking then.’

Arvian pursed his lips a couple of times and then briskly walked back towards the palace. Felio, left behind, stood there with a bewildered expression, unable to comprehend the meaning of Arvian’s words.

Ermedeline, with slumped shoulders, started to head back to her quarters. As she passed through the garden, she heard a small voice from somewhere.

“Your Majesty. Your Majesty the Empress.”

“?”

Ermedeline looked around, unable to find the source of the frail voice. However, Arvian quickly pinpointed the speaker. Liena was waiting for Ermedeline in a corner of the garden.

“How did you get here?”

Ermedeline’s eyes sparkled with tears as she welcomed Liena, whom she hadn’t seen since the two ladies in waiting were caught up in an assassination attempt and detained in the palace.

“I wasn’t supposed to come to the palace, but I was worried about Your Majesty and came.”

“Were you punished in any way?”

At Ermedeline’s question, Liena shook her head weakly with a sad smile. Bellest and Liena had not received any particular punishment. They just had to conscript more soldiers than other nobles due to the Ilyenian and Bianst families’ situation. But there was no need to inform Ermedeline of this.

“No, we were just banned from entering the palace. I came in through the back gate with the help of a maid, but if someone sees us now…”

Before Liena could finish her sentence, Ermedeline quickly looked around and grabbed Liena’s wrist, pulling her to a secluded spot.

“Priest Arvian, could you keep an eye out?”

Though annoyed, Arvian nodded reluctantly at Ermedeline’s request.

“I’m truly relieved that you’re alright. I’ve been so worried because I couldn’t do anything for you…”

“We are more sorry. We should have been more thorough in our investigation… and at the orphanage’s completion ceremony…”

“Oh… did you…”

“Yes. Bellest and I attended. We were also looking forward to the completion of the orphanage.”

“You must have seen quite a sight.”

Liena bit her lip at Ermedeline’s words and asked with clenched teeth.

“Did they catch the culprit?”

“No.”

Seeing Ermedeline’s troubled expression, Liena instinctively knew that Henry had once again used the Empress’s life as a bargaining chip for his own advantage.

“Are you alright now?”

“I’m fine. Thanks to Prince Felio, Priest Arvian, and many others, I am completely well now.”

“That’s a relief.”

Liena held Ermedeline’s hand, her smile a mix of relief and sorrow.

“I, no, we all believe in Your Majesty’s innocence. Treason is unthinkable.”

Ermedeline gave a bitter smile and lowered her head.

“But above all, I wish Your Majesty would prioritize her own life.”

“?”

“The greater good only has meaning when you’re alive.”

“?”

Ermedeline looked puzzled at Liena’s cryptic words, but Liena said no more.

Liena, Bellest, and Viella were leaving the capital of Trivian today. With troops gathering in the capital, most nobles were sending their households back to their territories. Although the maids wanted to stay with Ermedeline, they could no longer impose on their families, who had paid a high price to hire the teachers they had recruited.

Liena, who was under less surveillance than Bellest or Viella, had come to bid farewell to Ermedeline before leaving the capital.

“Your Majesty, despite the difficult situation, many people believe in your innocence. Even among the common people. You are essential to Trivian. So please, no matter what happens, prioritize your own life.”

Ermedeline didn’t fully understand Liena’s words, but seeing her resolute expression, she nodded silently. Liena bowed briefly and moved discreetly towards the back gate. She soon boarded a carriage waiting a short distance from the palace.

Over the next few days, many carriages were seen leaving the capital of Trivian. Nobles tried to move as discreetly as possible to avoid causing unnecessary panic among the people, but the sight of dozens of carriages leaving the capital couldn’t go unnoticed. As stories spread, a sense of unease grew among the citizens, fearing something dire might be happening in the capital.

Unlike the nobles, the commoners had no other land to return to. This was their home and livelihood. They could only work diligently each day, hoping nothing would happen to their homeland and country.

The anxious citizens flocked to the temples. An unprecedented number of worshippers began gathering at the central temple. Despite the situation, the central temple was displeased with Arvian staying by the side of the “traitor” Ermedeline. They decided to sever ties with the Grand Temple and pursue an independent path.