I Possessed The Immoral Empress

The gardens of the palace and the square in front of it seemed to compete with each other, becoming more beautiful day by day.

As the date of the grand ball approached, the palace gardens were filled with splendid roses and amaryllis ranunculus, reflecting Valliere’s preferences.

Elaborate floral arrangements, filled with resplendent flowers, and delicately adorned marble pedestals.

In contrast, the square in front of the palace was adorned with seasonal wildflowers.

Even after the ball was over, Ermedeline, who wished for the people to continue enjoying the flowers, ordered large flower pots and left the center of the square empty. Benches were placed around it, with flower pots arranged nearby.

Compared to the opulent palace gardens adorned with various luxurious fabrics, flowers, and sculptures, the square had a relatively modest appearance. However, it exuded a lovely atmosphere that seemed to have transported the spring from the Trivian Empire’s fields.

“Have the musicians been found?”

In response to Ermedeline’s question, Liena submitted the list, her head lowered as if weary.

“Most orchestras turned down playing such cheap music, but fortunately, Alicia knows a group that specializes in folk music, which is a relief, isn’t it?”

Alicia was Felio’s friend Roberto’s wife, but it seemed that they addressed each other by their first names as if they were quite close.

“Well, we can’t ask them to play music that the common people don’t even recognize and expect them to enjoy it. I thought that if you all joined forces, you would be able to find a solution. Thank you.”

As Ermedeline praised her, Liena, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment, rolled her eyes, which didn’t escape Felio’s jealous gaze, filled with resentment.

“I have something to report too!”

‘Ah, he can’t even give in to his friend younger sister…’

Ermedeline chuckled softly as she watched Felio, who had his eyes wide open and immediately dived into his own report, displaying childish behavior.

“Your  Majesty, the Empress, keeps smiling at him, so he doesn’t even realize he’s embarrassing himself and ignites his competitive spirit in strange places! Don’t smile; give him a gentle scolding!”

In response to Liena’s reprimand, Ermedeline finally burst into laughter, to the point where her teeth were visible.

“This much is adorable…”

“Whatever I do, I strive to be the best! That’s my motto!”

“?”

Isn’t this kind of adorable? Ermedeline, who had initially been inclined to support Felio, was left speechless by Felio’s foolish words.

“Uh… there… Your Grace.”

“Yes?”

“I know that Your Grace is a clever person. Truly brilliant…”

Felio, with a face indicating he didn’t understand, awaited Ermedeline’s response. Meanwhile, Liena, anticipating what might come next, had a face that seemed to say she was about to burst from amusement.

“However, it seems like perhaps you didn’t receive a proper education during your childhood. It appears they might not have been able to find a suitable home tutor…”

Originally, Ermedeline intended to ask, “Did you attend kindergarten?” But she changed her words to something more suitable.

“Nu-nursery, what is that…”

Felio, not immediately understanding Ermedeline’s intended meaning, stammered. At this point, Liena pointed her finger and openly mocked him.

“You’re so childish! Just now, Her Majesty, the Empress, said you were like a little kid! Haha! Ahahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahaha! You look ridiculous!!”

Faced with Liena’s ridicule, Felio, who had finally understood Ermedeline’s intended meaning, clenched his teeth, wearing an expression that seemed like he had something to say, but he eventually lowered his head.

It was because he saw Ermedeline, who was facing Liena and laughing brightly.

At that moment, the days when he was filled with well-founded self-esteem felt fleeting and insignificant.

The previous version of himself no longer existed.

Whenever he stood in front of Ermedeline, he felt like a fool anyway. So what if he became a bit childish?

Lately, Ermedeline’s face, which had been constantly shaded, was now finally touched by sunlight.

How much he had laughed. It had been so long since he had laughed like this.

However, as soon as the laughter subsided, his mind became complicated once again.

***

As the events at Francoise Castle settled down a bit, Ermedeline found himself deep in thought about matters concerning Leopold.

Fortunately, that man hadn’t even spared a glance for her in the reception hall or when causing a commotion in the garden. However, it still bothered her a bit.

After Leopold had left the garden, Ermedeline secretly sought out Ferdant.

Although she would occasionally ask about his well-being from a distance with Henry’s permission, that day, she had a different purpose in mind.

She had borrowed binoculars to closely observe Ferdant and compare his face to the one she had seen Leopold wearing in the hall of mirrors and the garden.

The child, who she had thought only bore a vague resemblance to herself due to their jet-black hair and enigmatic features, was astonishingly similar to Leopold upon closer inspection.

Ermedeline and the late Duke Francoise share similar auras and facial features. Ferdant’s features didn’t possess the same cool and composed air that was characteristic of Francoise Duchy.

His thin double eyelids were firmly drawn, his long eyes slightly slanting upwards at the ends. His nose, thin and high, was similar to Ermedeline’s, but the tip of his nose had a pronounced angularity.

And, crucially, even when expressionless, the corners of his mouth still had an upward tilt.

Upon closer inspection of his face, it became clear. The two of them were undoubtedly from wealthy backgrounds.

Ermedeline, who had no knowledge of the history between the old version of herself and Leopold, was anxious for several days.

The appearance of a character not even present in the original story was unsettling in itself. However, this character turned out to be the father of her child.

Naturally, every day was like walking on thin ice.

‘Is he really the kid’s father? Who is that stableman? Is he trying to protect Leopold or something?’

Ermedeline put down the binoculars and leaned against the castle wall in the shade, making every effort to deduce the nature of their relationship from under the haphazard shade.

‘I wish I could visit Francoise Castle one more time. There might be something on the floor of that closet…’

After the attack on the castle, Henry had completely forbidden Ermedeline from using her magic, citing safety concerns.

‘I don’t think they have any intention of dragging me in, thankfully. But I need to know more to handle it properly. I can’t afford any more complications.’

As Ermedeline sighed deeply, facing the castle walls with no response, she glanced at Ferdant once more before leaving.

The sight of him, smiling and receiving praise from his swordsmanship instructor, radiated the innocence of a six-year-old child. Fortunately, his pure and delicate face showed no trace of malice.

‘Where in the world can there be villains like that? Well, there are people like psychopaths, but at least this girl seems to have genuinely cared for her son. How on earth did she end up as such a villain? Did she suffer physical damage to her brain due to the torture she endured as a child?’

Although immediate affection couldn’t be expected from a child she hadn’t given birth to or raised, that didn’t mean she could simply turn her back.

The child had grown up in solitude, deprived of the love of both parents due to those wretched individuals and their actions.

Ermedeline knew very well what it meant to grow up without the love of one’s parents.

She wasn’t an orphan herself, but her birth parents had abandoned her.

‘Birth parents may have forsaken me, but I will never abandon you. When I leave the palace, I will definitely take you with me!’

Even though she had no memory, the connection through blood still existed.

Ermedeline knew that, due to her status as an orphan, she couldn’t fully understand what family love meant. Nevertheless, she wanted to create an environment in which the young child could live comfortably without worry.

She wanted to become the unwavering support and pillar that the child could rely on, something she herself had never had.

‘I’m confident to play my part as his mother! I’m going to do it without compromising my body. I have to cut off everything that could give away the act.’

However, she couldn’t help but be bothered by Leopold’s presence. With the addition of this character, who wasn’t in the original story and had now become a completely unpredictable element in the narrative, Ermedeline felt a small sense of unease.

***

The grand ball was only a day away.

Originally scheduled for early March as a spring welcome ball, it had been postponed for over a month. Perhaps due to the delay, both inside and outside the palace, the air was filled with excitement and anticipation, and even the air itself seemed to have a sweet, rosy hue.

“Wow. It’s really amazing!”

As Ermedeline passed through the hallway and saw the palace gardens, she couldn’t help but utter an exclamation of admiration.

‘It’s different, for sure. Those who have participated in such events are quite different.’

She knew that Valliere was a selfish child in a dangerously unstable state, close to the point of killing people. However, she couldn’t help but appreciate the spectacle before her.

It seemed like all the beautiful colors that came to mind when thinking of spring were artfully arranged. When viewed as a whole, it harmonized perfectly, creating a truly fantastic atmosphere.

With no knowledge of what a grand ball or a standing party entailed, Ermedeline had to rely heavily on the help of the ladies-in-waiting. She also consulted with Rooney, who represented the gaze of the common people.

However, Valliere, who had attended many such events, was single-handedly preparing a perfect ball, as if to prove that the impeccable proposal he had written for Foundation Day was not a coincidence.

As Ermedeline left the palace to do a final check, she noticed a theater troupe performing a small play for the traders preparing their stalls for the following day and the people gathering for the grand ball.

“Is this a play?” she asked.

Felio glanced at the troupe for a moment and replied indifferently, “It seems like they’re telling the story of Marchioness Belian based on their costumes.”

Familiar with the play that praised Valliere as almost a saint to the common people, Felio turned his attention to the magical lights in the square.

“Is that so? They’ve put on quite a convincing costume.”

However, as someone new to this type of performance, Ermedeline found it intriguing and slowly began to make her way in that direction.

“Oh, there are too many people…”

Although guards were stationed throughout the palace square, having witnessed several assassination attempts, Felio was somewhat uneasy and followed closely behind Ermedeline.

“What is that? Are they in a procession?”

Seeing an actor dressed as Valliere disembark from a poorly made carriage, it seemed like they were depicting the scene of a procession.

Soon, an actor in shabby clothing approached the actor portraying Valliere.

Ermedeline realized the content of this performance at that moment.

‘No way…’

Thwack!

The actor wielding a fake dagger struck the actor portraying Valliere with red dye splattered all around. They had chosen to use red dye which was difficult to come by in this place for the performance.

“Die! Die! Die!”

The actor in shabby clothing, drenched in red dye, collapsed, and the onlookers, who had been watching, shouted “Die!” in unison at the actor dressed as Valliere.

Soon, the actor portraying Henry, with a fake dagger in hand, appeared and delivered the fatal blow to the actor playing Valliere.

“Wow!! The witch is dead!! Wow!!”

Their enthusiasm could almost be described as madness.

Even though everything was happening as part of the play, the genuine hatred of the crowd towards Valliere was real. Ermedeline, who had never experienced such overt and collective animosity, instinctively felt fear. She didn’t have the presence of mind to think whether this was a spectacle or self-inflicted misfortune.

As she trembled, watching the cheering crowd celebrating the actor who played Valliere lying lifeless on the ground, Felio flashed a meaningful smile and whispered quietly.

“It’s changed.”

“What?”

“The role lying over there.”

“!”

Indeed.

Under normal circumstances, Ermedeline would have been the one lying there, receiving the hatred of the crowd. Ermedeline felt a shiver running down her spine.

Felio, understanding the situation, urged her to return.

“The inspection is roughly over. You should get inside. It’s challenging to provide security in this atmosphere.”

Not wanting to cause trouble for Felio and the guards, Ermedeline reluctantly nodded and continued walking towards the palace. As the jeers from the crowd grew louder, her heart pounded faster.

While confronting one person’s hatred could be painful, the intense collective hatred pouring from the crowd felt like more than just pain. It was a sensation that not only affected her soul but her physical being as well, a profound agony radiating from all around.

Ermedeline genuinely believed that it was fortunate she was not the one lying there.