I Possessed The Immoral Empress

As the audience ceremony was nearing its end, Ermedeline could hardly wait for this tedious event to conclude.

She wanted it to end quickly so she could rush over to Felio and express her gratitude for the brooch.

‘Ah, when will this event that has nothing to do with me finally come to an end?’ She thought to herself.

Despite her desire to jut out her chin in defiance, she couldn’t afford to disrupt the official ceremony, for she was, after all, the Empress.

She smiled dutifully, hoping that time would pass swiftly.

“This time audience is from the Ballius Empire” stuttered the voice of Count Hallstein as he read the paper detailing the audience’s identity.

“It’s Prince Leopold from the Ballius Empire.”

Upon hearing the name, Henry abruptly stood up from his seat, and the nobles below appeared visibly shaken.

‘Leopold? Could it be? Wasn’t that the name written discreetly in the note corner?’

Ermedeline, too, felt her blood run cold at the name, but she made a deliberate effort to maintain a composed demeanor.

As he was called forward, the man with golden eyes didn’t spare a glance towards Ermedeline. Fortunately, he didn’t seem inclined to feign recognition.

“I heard the news of my nephew’s birth and rushed here within a month. Have you been well, Your Majesty?” 

‘Nephew? Nephew, did you say, just now?’

Ermedeline was on the verge of losing her composure, trying to steady her trembling fingertips and her thoughts.

“It’s been a while, Prince Leopold.”

Henry, too, attempted to maintain a composed demeanor in this unexpected reunion, but it was evident that he was equally astonished. From up close, his adam’s apple twitched ever so slightly.

“I rushed here with gifts after hearing about my nephew. Is the one who holds the imperial child, not Her Majesty the Empress?” 

Despite Leopold’s provocation, Henry remained silent, merely gazing down at him with an imposing, unyielding glare.

“Indeed, Your Majesty, you resemble our father more than any of us, as always.”

Amidst the nobles observing, a faint chuckle began to circulate in response to Leopold’s taunting remark.

“So audacious. Do you even know where you are, returning and making such insolent comments?” Henry responded calmly, as if he had found his composure, despite Leopold’s mockery.

“Where am I? Is it not my father’s land, and the land where my beloved brother rules as Emperor? Besides, I have come as an official envoy from the Ballius Empire to celebrate the birth of an imperial heir in the Trivian Empire.”

Leopold revealed a scroll with a complex golden seal.

‘Is that seal, by any chance, the same as the one attached to the letter?’

Ermedeline squinted in an attempt to get a closer look, but discerning the pattern proved difficult. The delicate vertical lines on the seal seemed visible only at a distance, near the line of Henry’s forehead, as Leopold nonchalantly unfolded the scroll and began reading it.

“I see. I shall graciously accept the gifts you’ve sent through. Since you’ve come to our father’s land after a long time, I suggest you enjoy some sightseeing before returning. Have you arranged accommodation?”

“As much as I would like to stay close to Your Majesty, I’ve already rented a residence near the imperial palace because of my numerous attendants.”

“I’ll cover your lodging expenses and those of your entourage, so you can relax and enjoy your stay.”

“Your generosity knows no bounds, even extending to your half-brothers. I am truly thankful for your kindness.”

Leopold made a graceful farewell gesture and left the audience hall.

As soon as Leopold disappeared, Henry let out a small sigh and pressed his hand to his lips.

All the nobles in the room fixated their attention on each of Henry’s subtle movements.

Henry quickly realized his lapse in judgment and straightened his shoulders, taking on an elegant and composed posture as he sat down.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

However, despite his outward appearance, the sound of his racing heart seemed so loud that it felt like it was echoing inside his head.

Valliere, who was unfamiliar with the situation, seemed to discreetly roll her eyes, focusing her attention on the pile of gold and treasures in a large box. Meanwhile, both Henry and Ermedeline were nervously fidgeting, wondering if the sound of their hearts beating could be heard by those in the adjacent seats.

***

“Darn it!”

Upon returning to his office, Henry paced around while letting out a string of curses.

“I never expected Prince Leopold to show up officially at the audience room, bearing congratulatory messages from the Ballius Empire.”

Count Hallstein appeared equally dumbfounded, sporting a somewhat absent-minded expression. 

Due to being born into the noblest lineage, Henry’s half-brother, who could have been his most formidable rival if he had chosen to do so, suddenly made a public appearance. Under the circumstances, this wasn’t entirely surprising.

“I specifically instructed you to keep a close eye on him! You didn’t know until he was practically at our doorstep?”

In response to Henry’s loud and rare outburst, Count Hallstein closed his eyes tightly.

“He has begun public activities, so it seems he’s planning to openly engage with the nobility. Do we have any concrete evidence that he might be involved in rebellion?”

Henry tried his best to calm his boiling anger as he took his seat.

“The rumors are circulating, but there’s no substantial evidence that Prince Leopold incited the soldiers.”

“Can’t we link him based on the rumors alone?”

“Naturally. While Prince Leopold is the son of the princess, it’s the Empress’s right-hand woman who wields the most power in the Ballius Empire in the absence of an Empress. We can’t accuse him of treason without decisive evidence. Besides, the situation in the Frianton border zone is already quite volatile, and we can’t afford to antagonize Ballius.”

“So, what’s the plan? Just watch and wait, whether that brat is genuinely aiming for the throne or not? Should we paint a visible red line around his neck?”

Henry had once believed that becoming Emperor would bring him peace, but it seemed like an unrealistic dream.

“For now, I’ve stationed agents around his residence. We’ll also increase security in the capital area. We plan to find any evidence that could implicate him as soon as possible and request his extradition from the Ballius Empire.”

“Yes, yes. However, if things take a turn…”

“That’s not an option. We can’t entrust such a risky task when Her Majesty the Empress is actively managing her reputation.”

“But we have Ferdant, don’t we?”

“Even if Her Majesty the Empress is said to use the curse, do you think Ballius Empire will just sit idly by? There are tens of servants traveling with them. It’s impossible to prevent the information from leaking.”

A hopeless situation.

Stuck in a quagmire of unknown depths, with no way out.

The sensation of thick mud slowly creeping into the mouth.

A taste of bitterness that couldn’t possibly be felt, and yet, Henry unconsciously spat on the ground.

An action he would never have taken under normal circumstances.

His anxiety seemed to be driving him to the brink.

***

“Haa… Haa… Haa…”

As soon as the audience ceremony concluded, Ermedeline abandoned her intention to approach Felio and rushed straight to her own chamber.

“Here, here, where could it be?”

She immediately went downstairs and found the seal she had stored not long ago.

Indeed, it was the distinctive golden seal she had seen earlier.

While she couldn’t be sure if it was exactly the same design, how common was it for individuals to use a seal with this distinct color?

As Ermedeline confirmed that Prince Leopold was indeed the sender of this letter, she felt a sensation as if her stomach had crumbled to pieces.

‘Why now, all of a sudden? Why is a character who doesn’t even appear in the original suddenly making an entrance?’

Even Ferdant’s arrival had been shocking enough, but now, the father of the child was appearing. The introduction of characters not mentioned at all in the original story felt very unsettling to Ermedeline.

‘This is definitely strange. How could the story change so dramatically just because I decided to build an orphanage and improve the sewage system?’

No matter how hard she fought to avoid it, if such uncertain and unfavorable elements continued to emerge, what good would it do her to cling to life?

However, her brief moment of despair about her increasingly mysterious fate didn’t last long. As her mind cleared, her conversation with Louise just before the audience ceremony returned to her.

Ermedeline frantically sifted through the list of customers as if possessed by some unknown force.

“Batistian… Batistian… There can’t be anyone by that name. I would have found it by now.”

She sat down for a moment, momentarily disheartened, until the name Batistian crossed her mind, the maiden name of Duke Batistian’s wife that she had heard from Louise.

‘Veronian… Veronien… There it is! Veronien Salamond! Could it be Felio’s mother who ordered the curse potion?’

Out of curiosity, she had looked up the name Veronian, but the name that had actually appeared was the victim of the potion.

‘What is this? Could it be suicide… But here…’

Thorough as ever, Ermedeline meticulously recorded the names of the customers, along with detailed notes on where the curse potion would be used.

“A spell that transforms love into a curse. A curse potion that only takes effect if there is intense love directed toward the target. The target is Ovilian Batistian, the Duke…”

As Ermedeline reached this point, she let out a deep sigh and began searching the underground chamber as if she were someone who had lost something, her eyes filled with unease.

‘Why would a husband… Why such a dreadful curse…’

Suddenly, the terrifying image of Duke Batistian’s merciless face, lashing out at Felio without hesitation, crossed Ermedeline’s mind.

‘Could it be… Did he harm his wife as well?’

As Ermedeline read more closely, she noticed small, seemingly commented notes that she had written.

‘It seems to be related to the recently deceased Count La Vienta. Could there have been some sort of relationship between the two? I’ll investigate further. It could be valuable information in obtaining Sir Felio.’

As she read this far, an uncomfortable puzzle seemed to be fitting together in her mind.

‘No, don’t go there. They’re all deceased. Regardless of any backstory with Felio’s mother, it was I who created the potion intended for his father, and ultimately, it was Felio’s mother who died from the curse potion.’

Ermedeline found herself absentmindedly fiddling with the brooch on her shoulder.

‘How am I going to face him now? Is it true that this woman died from the curse potion I created? Among all the dreadful things she did, this one is the most dreadful! Damn!’

She had hardly eaten all day, but now she felt a wave of nausea.

“Ugh, ugh, ugh…”

Vomiting brought forth only clear gastric juices and her own tears.

At that moment of feeling unwell, not knowing how to alleviate this discomfort, Rooney’s faint voice reached her.

“Sir Felio has arrived.”

Ermedeline hastily wiped away her tears and made her way upstairs, where Felio’s silver eyes were filled with anticipation.

He had likely come to discuss the brooch.

Ermedeline, in an effort to avoid her voice breaking, cleared her throat and greeted Felio with a bright smile.

“Your Grace! I was actually planning to visit you, so it’s perfect that you’ve come.”

“Is that so? I’m glad to hear that the Empress and I share the same taste. The brooch looks rather good on your shoulder.”

Though the person who had given her the brooch had kept their identity anonymous, Felio’s expression made it clear that he was the boy hoping for praise.

“I didn’t expect it, but I received a gift that I really like. It’s the best gift I’ve ever received.”

Ermedeline’s compliment prompted Felio’s lips and cheeks to twitch strangely as if he was struggling to suppress his laughter while appearing composed.

But the joy emanating from his mysterious silver eyes was irresistible. Pure and untainted by any impurity, the emotion flowed from his two eyes to reach Ermedeline. Overwhelmed by the feeling, Ermedeline had to clench her teeth and hold back the tears. She returned a happy smile to Felio.

“I’m glad you received a gift that you like.”

“You’re right. Since I received such a precious gift, I plan to cherish it for the rest of my life.”

Ermedeline had swallowed her tears with such effort that her throat hurt. At the moment when she wanted to send Felio away to stop holding back her tears, the ladies-in-waiting arrived.

“You’ve come!”

Ermedeline, still trying to hold back her tears, embraced the ladies-in-waiting. Although the maidservants were momentarily surprised by her overwhelming reaction, they soon warmly returned the hug. 

“Your Majesty! Congratulations on becoming the Duchess de Françoire!” 

Bellest and Viella were the first to present a small bundle they had prepared. Inside were certainly valuable items, including an exquisite fan with ornate decorations that were almost too dazzling to carry around. The jewelry attached to the fan was stunningly elegant.

Marchioness Grania presented a high-quality hardcover book with a beautifully decorated cover adorned with gold powder. Lienna gifted a splendid ornamental dagger with no shortage of extravagant decorations.

With deep gratitude in her heart, Ermedeline received the gifts with joy. 

“Thank you so much for these precious gifts. I didn’t give you anything in return…” 

“Why didn’t you give us anything? You already have. You’ve given us time to grieve. Compared to that, these items mean nothing,” Bellest replied, and suddenly, Ermedeline’s emotional dam broke, causing her to cry openly.