I Possessed The Immoral Empress

The sewer construction is in full swing.

As it’s been about two weeks since the National Wedding Anniversary, the capital has become a much warmer and more peaceful place than before.

The relentless epidemic that had plagued the Trivian Empire, the very one that had nearly destroyed it, is finally coming to an end.

It’s been a week since the last patient was reported in the capital.

After consulting with the elders, Henry decided to wait for just one more week before declaring the end.

In the original work, the epidemic in the capital doesn’t end until the end of the story.

The original Ermedeline, in a turn of events, repeatedly cast the curse of the plague on the capital whenever it seemed to be ending.

But the current Ermedeline is a complete novice sorceress.

She doesn’t even know how to cast such large-scale curse magic, nor does she have the intention to do so.

Due to these circumstances, the curse, the initial cause of the epidemic, weakened, and thanks to Henry’s strong quarantine policies, which he accepted upon Ermedeline’s advice, the epidemic could disappear relatively quickly from Trivian.

Even the small-scale infections that had spread to the provinces had finally subsided after a few days.

In the atmosphere of Trivian, racing towards the peak of spring, there was an excited feeling, like welcoming long-awaited guests just before their arrival.

“This time, I’ve decided Sir Felio and Lady Bellest to accompany me,” announced Ermedeline.

Rooney, who had quietly anticipated this announcement, felt depressed.

“Although the Emperor said that the magic circle installed at Francoise Duchy is well guarded by the Imperial Guards, just to be safe, I think it would be safer to go with the Empire’s strongest mage and the Empire’s strongest inspector.”

She already knew that Felio was a renowned mage, but after some inquiries, she found out that Bellest was an excellent swordsman, having a record of winning in duels.

While her appearance in a corset and a glamorous dress made it hard to imagine, the fact that she once made Felio cry with a sword when they were kids didn’t seem like an exaggeration.

“You’ve thought well! I will do my best to take care of Empress!”

Bellest grabbed Ermedeline’s hand and leaped about with great joy.

On the other hand, Felio didn’t show any reaction.

Wondering what was wrong, Ermedeline gave Felio a sidelong glance, and she noticed a hint of a smile playing on the corner of his lips.

“Fine, if you’re okay with it.”

Ermedeline, who was considering provoking a mischievous response, clasped Bellest’s hand and happily joined in the jumping.

“Seeing Lady Bellest so thrilled, it seems we might have to go without Sir Felio!”

Phew!

True to form, Felio swiftly changed his stance as fast as lightning.

“I’m happy too! Really, really happy!”

Just a while ago, Felio had ignited childlike competitiveness, raising both his arms enthusiastically. However, he couldn’t bring himself to hold Ermedeline’s hand and started jumping in place with clenched fists.

‘Ah, he’s not really a child. When he’s with peers, he does get a bit childish. I should see this side of him more often.’

Ermedeline found Felio’s childish side cute yet slightly unsettling. In the novel, the mere three-year age gap between her and Felio meant they couldn’t be as comfortable as peers of the same age, given their different social statuses.

‘But we aren’t on familiar terms, after all,’ she thought.

***

When Henry heard that Ermedeline was planning to visit the duke’s residence in Brunnian, his lips twisted as if he were momentarily displeased, but he couldn’t find any reason to object.

“After all, I suppose there won’t be anything left of the things inside the castle?”

“I’m not going there to find something. It’s just a place that used to be my home, so I’d like to visit it once.”

Ermedeline was now quite skilled at telling plausible lies without a hint of conscience. In truth, ever since she had learned about her rightful inheritance, she had been hoping there might be something left inside the castle. 

The Seal of Blood. 

Diaries, spellbooks, the underground chamber, the pendant with a small portrait of Ferdant, didn’t Francoise Duchy need the blood of their lineage for these items?

Of course, Henry, aware of the castle’s rich history, suspected that there could be hidden chambers, but after months of searching the castle so thoroughly, there wasn’t much left to find.

It was uncomfortable, but without a valid reason, he couldn’t continue to oppose the homeowner’s request.

“With whom do you plan to travel?” he asked.

“I plan to go with Sir Felio and Lady Bellest.”

‘Hmm. You’ve balanced it out… Wait, come to think of it, without intending it, you’ve managed to encompass both the heir of the imperial Batistian Duke and the daughter of the noble Ilyenian family.’

Although Ermedeline didn’t create these connections with such intent, to Henry, who had meticulously connected all these ties under a strict calculation, her actions seemed quite meaningful.

‘But still, those two don’t get along well, so they’ll probably keep each other in check. They won’t exchange words or anything like that.’

As Henry sank deep into his office chair, he looked up at Ermedeline with a lazy gaze.

Whenever Ermedeline met Henry’s eyes, she couldn’t help but be captivated by the incredibly beautiful shade of blue in his irises. But she also felt a primal fear and aversion to that deep, profound sea within his eyes, a beauty that made her uneasy and overwhelmed.

It was truly a striking appearance with an imposing presence that was both beautiful and intimidating.

Furthermore, he needed the wisdom to accept advice, even from the Empress, his enemy, and a fair-minded temperament that wouldn’t be easily swayed, even by the woman he loved.

Most importantly, from a young age, he had set his eyes on only one woman, a pure romantic.

He certainly met all the requirements of a male protagonist who readers couldn’t help but love.

However, this was only the view from the reader’s perspective.

Ermedeline, who was no longer just a reader, knew that Henry had used her to eliminate his step-siblings and rise to the throne.

With the knowledge of his true self beyond the original work, Henry, in Ermedeline’s eyes, was just a vulnerable man burdened with guilt and frustration, pretending to be a majestic Emperor.

“You can go.”

After a long pause, Henry granted Ermedeline’s rightful request with a seemingly light and quite accommodating voice, as if he had given his permission without any reservations.

‘Why does he have to give permission for me to go to my own home? The people in Valliere’s house can freely visit the palace, after all.’

Ermedeline couldn’t openly protest because Francoise Duchy had their own share of guilt, but she couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable about the situation.

***

The next morning, Ermedeline met Felio and Bellest at the magic circle. Since they planned to visit briefly and return, there was not much to prepare.

“Please take care of Empress.”

Rooney, who was saddened that she couldn’t accompany them, bowed her head to Felio and Bellest with tears in her eyes.

“Anyone seeing you would think I’m going to die. I’m just going back to my own home! Besides, the Emperor said the palace is well-guarded by the Imperial Guards, so nothing will happen.”

Ermedeline wrapped her arm around Rooney’s shoulders and playfully poked the plump cheeks on the other side with her opposite finger.

“Even so, I really thought you fainted at the orphanage’s opening ceremony.”

The sight of the mysterious man approaching with dark energy and vomiting blood was undoubtedly a shocking spectacle.

“Ugh. But in the end, everyone came out unharmed.”

Indeed, the only one who had died was Duke de Francoise.

“Yeah. Don’t worry. I’ll protect Empress perfectly this time as well.”

Felio inserted himself into the conversation, eager to boast while offering comfort. Observing him nodding confidently with a proud expression after arguing with Ermedeline, it seemed that, in his eyes, saving Ermedeline from Francoise Duchy was a source of great pride.

“Hmph. If it were me, I wouldn’t have let it get to such a dangerous situation in the first place.”

And as expected, Bellest didn’t appreciate Felio’s audacity.

“Oh, if only Rooney could come with us, we’d have a truly adorable party. It’s a shame.”

“Yeah. Sir Felio and Lady Bellest will definitely protect me, so don’t worry.”

Although Rooney seemed anxious, judging by her puffy cheeks, she eventually nodded and let go of Ermedeline’s sleeve that she had been holding onto tightly.

“All right, let’s go!”

The magic circle was in a circular shape with incomprehensible symbols etched into its white marble floor.

The diameter was approximately 2 meters, and as Ermedeline inserted a small stone she received during her conferment ceremony into the center of the magic circle, the magic circle began emitting a radiant white light.

Witnessing this mysterious spectacle for the first time, Ermedeline was about to gasp and lose her composure. However, she managed to control herself, mainly by looking at Felio and Bellest, who appeared remarkably composed.

In a flash, a blinding white light enveloped the surroundings before their sight was restored.

They had moved to a completely new place within a matter of minutes.

“Greetings to Empress.”

Just as Henry had mentioned, the magic circle in the Francoise Duchy’s castle was thoroughly guarded by the Imperial Guards.

‘It seems like they received some prior notice from Henry.’

Communication magic circles were particularly valuable, and Emperor Henry, having the means, had the ability to use them when necessary.

Ermedeline nodded slightly and responded to the greetings from the Imperial Guards.

‘Are those the stairs going up?’

The magic circle in the palace was installed deep underground for defensive purposes. Based on appearances, it seemed that Francoise Duchy’s magic circle was also located in the depths of the underground.

If there was one difference from the Imperial Palace, it was the material used in construction. While the Imperial Palace, even deep underground, was surrounded by clean marble and white bricks, this place was constructed entirely from dark rocks for both the floors and walls.

Ermedeline had to act as naturally as possible, considering this was her ostensible home. Fortunately, they only came across a narrow stone staircase and not much else on their way.

‘Be as confident as possible, like it’s my home.’

After climbing a few stone steps and passing through several narrow stone doors, they finally reached the central hall of Francoise Duchy’s castle. Although there were several intersections along the way, Ermedeline didn’t make a single wrong turn.

‘I was worried I might get lost, but it’s going well.’

The interior was quite different from the white and gold Imperial Palace, as it was made of dark rock. It appeared as though they had carved a massive cliff to serve as the foundation for the castle.

Ermedeline couldn’t help but glance at Felio and Bellest, who seemed to have the expressions of tourists, possibly visiting here for the first time. They gazed around, looking like sightseers.

‘But isn’t it too empty, even for a grand hall?’

The vast hall was so deserted that it gave a rather desolate feeling, despite being spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of people. The only adornments were large portraits depicting Francoise Duchy, his wife, and Ermond.

‘Were family portraits not in the budget? Then again, it’s not like I’m in them.’

Slightly disappointed, Ermedeline naturally walked towards the gentle staircase on the left side of the hall. Although it was her first time here, her body seemed to move on its own, guided by some subconscious memory.

‘Right, this has been my home for a lifetime, so maybe my body remembers. Let’s trust our instincts for now.’

Once again, after climbing a few steps and passing through a couple of narrow corridors, she arrived at a large wooden door. Even though she had no recollection of it, there was a sense of familiarity.

‘Usually, doors open outward, don’t they?

Ermedeline pushed the massive wooden door with her fingers, and to her surprise, it opened inward easily, almost too easily.

Ermedeline was about to completely open the door, feeling a little puzzled. However, Felio stopped her.

“I’ll go in first.”

Without further ado, Ermedeline pushed the door wide open and stepped into the room. Inside, the carpet, clearly made of fur, was so crushed that its form was almost unrecognizable. Most of the furniture was wooden, giving the bedroom a heavy and mature atmosphere that felt far from that of a young woman.

“Huff… huff…”

As soon as she entered the room, Ermedeline suddenly felt her breath caught in her throat. It was as if an unseen hand was tightly gripping her neck, accompanied by a pounding headache.

“Your Majesty! Are you okay?”

Startled, Bellest rushed to support Ermedeline, and Felio, concerned that it might be some kind of curse, quickly examined her surroundings. However, there was nothing suspicious.

“Ugh… huff… huff…”

Though nothing came to mind for Ermedeline, her body instinctively reacted to the etched memories. The poison experiments began at the age of seven, followed by the ongoing abuse from the Duke even after she left for the imperial palace. The searing pain of burns, the sharp agony of being stabbed, the excruciating fever caused by chemicals coursing through her veins, the relentless suffering of broken bones and wasted flesh—all of these had become almost ordinary to her.

It’s a long, long history of abuse.

All of this pain came at once, leaving Ermedeline unable to do anything but scream.

“Aaah! Aaaaaaaaaaaah!”

After screaming for what seemed like forever, Ermedeline passed out on the spot.