Chapter 79

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 79

Chapter Title: The Empress's House Arrest

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I knew that if it was the Empress, she would catch on to this issue and try to make a fuss about it.

The reason I was so certain this time was simple, too.

'Because something similar happened in my first life, before my regression.'

Back then, the one who used the entrance to the Crown Prince's Palace that led outside, cast magic, and brought in private soldiers wasn't me—it was Arpad himself.

'At the time, Arpad had obtained information that multiple assassins were targeting him, and he said he needed secret reinforcements to counter them.'

As a result, Arpad survived the assassins.

But the fact that he had let a mercenary band into the imperial palace was discovered.

And the Empress branded it as treason.

It was bringing in armed forces without prior imperial approval, without even being searched, and while armed to the teeth.

Even if it was the Crown Prince who did it, there was plenty of room to interpret it as treason.

But at that time, Arpad couldn't trust either his father the Emperor or the imperial knights.

His position was far more precarious than it was now.

'His episodes of madness were already flaring up frequently by then.'

There was probably an element of that madness influencing such a reckless act.

And once branded a traitor, Arpad made a truly bold decision.

'He launched a real rebellion.'

It was small-scale, but a civil war broke out.

And astonishingly, even in that situation, Arpad emerged victorious.

Arpad deposed his father and ascended to the throne himself.

He was Emperor for only one day.

'Because the moment Arpad seized the throne, he went completely mad.'

Though honestly, I suspected he was already pretty far gone before that.

"I was always terrified of not knowing when I'd lose my mind. Especially on Crimson Moons, the nights my mother passed."

The moment I truly met him—the man who had gone completely insane—was during that rebellion in my first life.

That was Arpad and my first real encounter.

At the time Arpad launched his rebellion, I happened to be in the imperial palace.

It was when I was withering away day by day as Ludwig's wife.

When the mercenaries led by Arpad began sweeping through the palace,

Ludwig used me as bait and fled first.

"Y-You, your hair color is too conspicuous! So escape with the knight I assigned you!"

He was right—my pink hair was unusual.

Anyone who genuinely wanted to protect me would have hidden it first.

But Ludwig didn't.

He even tore off the hood of my cloak to make my pink hair stand out, then assigned a knight of similar build to me and had him flee in the opposite direction.

Back then, I had no idea why Ludwig was doing that.

I only realized he'd used me as bait after facing Arpad's bloodied blade.

By then, Arpad's red eyes were already consumed by madness.

"Tch. So he threw his wife out as bait and ran. Ludwig... that trash wasn't even worth beating."

"P-Please, spare me, spare my life!"

Arpad stared at me in silence for a long while as I sobbed and trembled.

Then he looked up.

It was night—and a Crimson Moon night at that.

Gazing up at the ominously blood-red moon, Arpad spoke in a hollow voice.

"I was always terrified of not knowing when I'd lose my mind. Especially on Crimson Moons, the nights my mother passed."

I stared at Arpad standing beneath the crimson moonlight, momentarily forgetting my terror.

He looked utterly beautiful, sorrowful, and exhausted.

"And yet... it seems that was my fate all along... No matter how endlessly I resisted......"

Arpad gazed at me with an expression like he couldn't comprehend it, then muttered a few more words.

But they were unintelligible to me.

And when Arpad, who had bowed his head for a moment, lifted it again,

I realized it.

The man who could still hold a conversation was gone.

In his place was a beast devoured by the hereditary madness.

Its red eyes flashed in the moonlight.

Golden scales pushed through its porcelain-pale skin, slick with blood.

Its hand, bereft of sword, sprouted blade-like claws.

The beast lunged at me, craving my blood.

"Raaargh—!!!"

The reason I survived then was simple.

Emperor Walter, deposed and imprisoned, arrived.

Only imperial blood can kill imperial blood.

That was common knowledge among most imperial citizens.

But I learned its true meaning then.

An imperial overtaken by blood madness becomes a half-human, half-dragon monster.

Just like the specimen I'd faced in the magic tower in my third life.

Except that one was a corpse animated by necromancy—this living state was several times stronger.

Before the killing intent of a half-human half-dragon, humans froze in terror.

Like prey animals before a predator.

I was the same.

"Kyaaah!!!"

The only ones who could move unscathed amid a half-human half-dragon's killing intent were fellow imperials with dragon blood.

"Arpad—!!!"

Emperor Walter personally beheaded his completely mad son.

And it was only in my second life, after meeting him at the temple, that I realized the Emperor had been shedding bloody tears.

Unlike back then, the Emperor's expression now was utterly serene.

Arpad wasn't mad, either.

'Right. That kind of thing won't happen anymore.'

I shook off the horrific memory and turned my head.

To focus on the satisfying present.

The documents I'd prepared three days in advance were crumpling in the Empress's hands.

The Empress muttered in disbelief.

"No way, no way...?"

I could almost hear the unspoken words ringing in my ears.

'You set a trap?'

I nodded gladly.

It was clear she'd understood my intent.

Her contorted face—and Evangeline's, like a piranha that had lunged at blood only to fail spectacularly—were a delightful sight.

I smiled contentedly at the mother-daughter duo who had ruined my life three times over. Beside me, some banter was unfolding.

Yulken, the author of those crumpled documents, muttered sympathetically enough for all to hear.

"Ahh, no. To think the fruit of my blood, sweat, tears, and all-nighters would end up like that......"

Arpad offered what he probably thought was comfort.

"The documents are still valid anyway, so what's the big deal?"

"That's easy for Your Highness to say, since you're not the one writing them!"

Ah, so not comfort—taunting?

Still, their foolish exchange had its merits.

It helped pull me from those bloody pre-regression memories.

Thanks to that, I could flash the Empress and Evangeline my brightest, sunniest smile.

And then, the words I'd been waiting for finally came from the Emperor's mouth.

"To so casually accuse someone of treason—a crime like no other—without solid proof is exceedingly reckless. Empress."

"Y-Your Majesty! Wait...!"

But the Emperor didn't hear her out and declared,

"I question whether the Empress is properly upholding the duties befitting her noble station and dignity."

"Your Majesty!"

"You are confined to quarters for the time being."

Then the Emperor turned to me.

"In the interim, I entrust the management of the inner palace to the Crown Princess."

I smiled radiantly, bowed my head, and curtsied—not to the Empress, but to the Emperor this time.

"I shall obey your command, Your Imperial Majesty."