I Possessed The Immoral Empress

“Your Majesty!”

Henry and Ermedeline, who had come to check on Valliere’s condition, met in front of Valliere’s reception room.

“What brings the Empress here, and is that basket of flowers, the one you brought for Marchioness Belian?”

“Yes, I prepared it to congratulate her on her pregnancy.”

“What? Why would the Empress congratulate her?”

Upon hearing Ermedeline’s words, Henry’s expression quickly turned cold.

“It’s not under some strange curse. It just received blessings from Louise to ensure her well-being. You can verify it on your way out!”

Ermedeline desperately made excuses, and Henry responded with a wry smile, running his tongue across his lips.

“Oh, did you see the look on my face? I was just trying to remember if there was ever an empress who sent the mistress a basket of flowers to congratulate them on their pregnancy.”

“I see. I must have misunderstood.”

In truth, it wasn’t a complete misunderstanding. Henry was simultaneously considering the possibility of a curse on the flower basket in light of what he had just mentioned.

“Well, then, let’s go inside.”

As they entered the room, Valliere greeted them with a delicate and innocent appearance, much like a softly flickering candle.

“I’ve heard you’re not doing well with your meals. How are you feeling today?”

In response to Henry’s warm inquiry, Valliere answered weakly while being conscious of Ermedeline.

“What kind of feeling can one have when they’re a tool for giving birth to a child?”

“What?”

At the bewildering statement, Henry turned to Ermedeline. She let out a small sigh and then immediately confessed.

“I came today to offer my congratulations, as I may have spoken harshly yesterday. I admit I was too harsh. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Rather than being comforted by Ermedeline’s neat and polite apology, Valliere, who felt unfairly treated, looked at Henry with a disgruntled expression.

“Her Majesty the Empress referring to me as a tool in front of the ladies-in-waiting, while I carry the Emperor’s child is not just an offense against me but a disrespect to the royal family!”

While Ermedeline merely furrowed her brow in disbelief at Valliere’s words, Rooney, who had been standing behind, couldn’t hold back any longer and finally intervened.

“Marchioness Belian first asked Her Majesty the Empress to congratulate her on her pregnancy!”

In a daring move for a palace maid to raise her voice in front of the Emperor and the Empress, all eyes turned to Rooney in shock.

Ermedeline, fearing that Rooney might face reprimand, quickly moved to shield her and spoke in her defense.

“Your Majesty, what I meant was… this child has little experience, and that’s why…”

Ironically, in her desperate attempt at an excuse, Ermedeline found herself facing the icy gaze of Henry.

“What did you say to the Empress?”

“Yes?”

“What did you say to the Empress in front of the ladies-in-waiting?”

Henry despises crossing certain lines, and disrespecting the royal family is absolutely one of them, even if the target of that disrespect is the formidable Empress.

“Why should the Empress congratulate you on your pregnancy?”

This time, Henry, who had expected to have unequivocal support, attacked her with a stern expression, causing Valliere to freeze in place.

Henry was born illegitimate.

Of course, his mother is a marchioness, so he didn’t have a humble birth like Valliere’s. Nevertheless, even during his childhood in the capital city, he always had to be careful not to offend the Empress.

Many mistresses had tasted the Emperor’s favor and wielded power, but they could never surpass the Empress. Regardless of how much the government was favored, the Emperor never made them Empress or granted them power beyond that.

Because of this, mistresses were willing to do anything to make their children Emperor, but no one dared to touch the Empress. Even when a court jester, who had been excessively favored, made a playful mockery of the Empress, the Emperor had the jester’s tongue cut out and banished him from the country.

Henry saw that as a symbol of the sacred and unassailable authority of the imperial family. He desired to obtain that unyielding, fortress-like absolute power that would stand firm against any wave.

Therefore, Valliere, who was well aware of Henry’s disposition, refrained from any audacious actions that might challenge the Empress’s authority, no matter how much Ermedeline’s misdeeds rattled her.

Valliere knew that Henry would never tolerate such behavior.

“Have you become a completely different person lately?”

It wasn’t just a change in her handwriting. She was now doing things she would never have done in the past without hesitation.

While Henry’s words were meant as a warning to exercise restraint, Valliere suddenly felt her heart sink.

‘Could it be… has he noticed that I’m not the same person?’

The thought of potentially losing her only support made Valliere’s hands tremble involuntarily.

Henry gently held Valliere’s trembling hand and looked into her eyes. Valliere felt like she could get lost in those bright, mysterious blue irises, radiating an enchanting light.

His touch was so warm that Valliere looked at Henry with a rapturous expression, hoping for comforting words.

Having ascended to her position by eliminating step-siblings, Henry was not one to be trifled with. From his beautiful lips, like a sharp blade, came the cruel words that pierced Valliere’s heart.

“Apologize to the Empress immediately.”

***

“Is the preparation for the banquet going well?”

In response to Leopold’s question, Langen pointed at a lavish box overflowing with precious gemstones, wearing a displeased expression.

“Do we really need to go this far?”

“Of course. This is the first public appearance of my return on the grand stage, and it has to be grand!”

“So, what do you plan to do after revealing your true identity publicly? Will the ruthless Emperor just stand by?”

“Of course, there will be chaos. But when I reveal my true identity in front of all the empire’s nobility, I can’t do it discreetly. Anyway, we’re siblings, right?”

“Of course, they won’t openly try to kill you. But the Emperor has witches…”

Langen quickly lowered his voice, glancing at his master.

“Would Ermedeline use that dreadful curse on me? Besides, I’m not a noble of Trivian; I’m of the Ballius aristocracy. Even if he wanted to assassinate me, she couldn’t involve Ermedeline. Rumors of foreign aristocrats being assassinated by the magic used by the Empress would only bring trouble.”

“What if she tries to disguise it as an accident or sends a skilled assassin?”

In response to Langen’s question, Leopold furrowed his brows, as if questioning why he would suggest such a thing.

“Of course, you’ll have to stop that.”

Langen felt the tension in his master’s response, but, in truth, he wasn’t overly concerned. He had faith that unless it involved cursed magic, no one in the continent had the skill to assassinate his master.

***

Valliere trembled with anxiety.

Chastised by Henry’s words, Valliere, who had been wrestling with her dilemma, visited Ermedeline early the next day to apologize. Surprisingly, Ermedeline accepted the apology with great enthusiasm, showing no sign of any passionate reaction. She even suggested that Valliere apologizes to Bellest as well since she had spoken harshly to her. Ermedeline went on to encourage Valliere to take her time and relax as she was pregnant in an unfamiliar place, offering words of comfort.

If only she had scolded and reprimanded, Valliere wouldn’t have felt so uneasy. But Ermedeline’s generous smile exuded an air of indulgence. Despite being ahead, Valliere couldn’t help but feel like she was falling behind. Her entire body was covered in goosebumps due to this unsettling feeling.

On her way back after apologizing, the gazes of everyone she crossed in the palace corridors felt unfamiliar.

Up until that point, she had never paid much attention to the servants, considering them to be mere automatons performing their duties. However, once she realized that the Empress’s maids were witnessing everything, everything started to look different.

Henry neither scolded nor reprimanded the maid who spoke out of turn in front of the Emperor and Empress. It was because she believed Valliere’s actions had disrupted the authority of the imperial family. Despite carrying the Emperor’s child, Henry issued a warning to Valliere not to cross the line.

Until she became Empress, there was no way to surpass Ermedeline, no matter what measures she took. Only now did Valliere realize how cold the glances of the maids and guards who looked at her had become?

She felt as if everyone, even Henry, had fallen for Ermedeline’s perfect act and had turned against her.

Ridicule, mockery, and disdain filled the gazes directed at her. If the nobility at the award ceremony had remained indifferent, the reactions of the servants were much more blatant.

Valliere was tempted to grab and scold the two maids who were muttering about her, or even break something. However, she now realized she couldn’t do that. Everyone within the palace was watching her, and any misstep, no matter how small, would immediately reach Henry’s ears.

‘I have no one on my side. I have to protect myself. I must protect my body until I give birth.’

With her distrust and caution towards others reaching their peak, Valliere cast a protective spell.

The blade was sharpened to a dangerous edge, clearly intended to cause harm.

‘This should be just ‘adequate.’ Anyone who threatens me won’t go unpunished.’

Valliere examined the blade in the sunlight, its sharp edge gleaming. She was determined to survive within this harsh palace through her own strength.

***

“Hmm. It’s too extravagant.”

Ermedeline continued to grumble, but Rooney had no intention of backing down.

“You should do this much! It’s an award ceremony, after all. Actually, compared to what Marchioness Belian wore, this isn’t that extravagant!”

The necklace, made of several layers of black pearls with a diamond pendant, exuded elegance and refinement.

“No, it’s flashy enough. No one will even see it. Is it necessary to go to such lengths?”

“I’m disappointed that no one will see it! But in the afternoon, there’s a royal event. Even the Empress should attend. If you go out less extravagantly than Marchioness Belian, other people will mock the Empress just like her!”

Ermedeline was no longer concerned about this, but Rooney still seemed unable to let go of Valliere’s audacity in asking the Empress to congratulate her on her pregnancy.

“Let it go already. She already offers an apology.”

“What kind of apology is that? She didn’t apologize directly at the moment… She did it so reluctantly, putting on a terrible face… Ugh…”

Rooney sighed deeply and wondered if she had been treated so harshly. However, Ermedeline had no lingering ill feelings about the matter. She had lived a life where it was too exhausting to get upset at every word spoken by anyone.

“I don’t really care. I only mind if someone I care about is involved.”

“But what if, after giving birth, she changes her attitude more overtly, especially towards the Empress, who you’re ignoring now?”

Ermedeline responded with a knowing smile, raising one eyebrow.

“I did it because it’s still the early stages of pregnancy. Apologizing was a one-time thing. If, after giving birth, she continues to ignore me or, especially, my loved ones, then I’ll take some appropriate actions. Don’t worry about it.”

Ermedeline purposely emphasized the word “appropriate” a bit more when she replied.

Of course, Ermedeline’s concept of appropriateness was quite different from Valliere’s notion of adequacy. Ermedeline was a sensible person who, despite having conflicts, would never think of killing or hurting someone.

However, when Valliere mentioned the late husband of Bellest, it genuinely angered Ermedeline, and she nearly raised her hand in frustration.

‘Even if my goal is to leave this palace alive, I won’t let that pass next time. I can use my brain too.’

While Ermedeline was contemplating how to handle Valliere without losing her dignity, Rooney, with a slightly flushed face, asked, “Do I also count among those precious people?”

“Sure. Who’s left but you?”

Seeing Rooney’s slow affirmation of affection was adorable, so Ermedeline threw away the silk gloves she was holding and wrapped her arms around her.

“Ack, let go, the necklace is falling off!”

Rooney struggled as she gently set the necklace down, but Ermedeline hugged her harder and rubbed her cheek.

‘No matter how many enemies I have, they’re nothing compared to one on my side’