Chapter 80

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 80

Chapter Title: Crown Princess Acclaimed

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The spacious hall fell into a deathly silence for a moment.

The first to break this silence was the Grand Duchess.

She acted as if the verbal clash and insult from the Empress just moments ago had never happened.

With a radiant smile, she approached me and offered her congratulations.

"Congratulations, Your Highness the Crown Princess."

"Thank you, Grand Duchess."

Her convincingly lifelike performance had been a tremendous help.

'Thanks to her, I successfully baited the Empress.'

Of course, as the leader of the western nobles, she had personally overseen the preparations for entry permits and body searches beforehand.

Yet the reason I'd maneuvered the Empress into throwing her tantrum and questioning my qualifications as Crown Princess was simple.

'She had to go that far for it to create an ironclad pretext.'

Treason is a powerful charge, but just as dangerous.

If it fails, the accuser suffers equal backlash.

The Empress had tried to frame me for treason, only for it to be proven false—she had no choice but to weather the full storm of consequences.

Starting with her, the western nobles surged forward one after another to offer their congratulations.

It was essentially a celebration of my victory.

"Congratulations, Your Highness the Crown Princess."

"Our heartfelt felicitations."

"I hope my daughter can be of service to you, Your Highness."

The last was Marquis Solenu.

With me now in charge of the inner palace affairs, it seemed he was asking me to look after his granddaughter.

'Sorry, Marquis. Isepin already has her own role to play.'

But since I couldn't say that aloud, I merely responded with an ambiguous smile.

The Empress and Evangeline watched me receiving congratulations with dazed expressions.

Western nobles had crowded between us to offer their greetings.

Soon, even the central nobles—who had wavered at the Empress's words—flocked back to my side with a clamor.

"Your Highness the Crown Princess! Congratulations. I represent the House of Count Milken..."

"It is an honor to behold Your Highness the Crown Princess, blessed by Artanus himself!"

"Please allow me to pay my respects!"

Swept away by the surging crowd, the Empress and Evangeline vanished from my sight.

It was far too soon for their complete exit from the stage.

'I have no intention of ending it here, either.'

After all, my revenge was only just beginning.

Hilia's recognition as Crown Princess today had clearly elevated her to a true power player in the imperial palace.

The nobles had flipped their attitudes as easily as turning a hand over.

The Empress watched this in stunned silence, then slowly turned her head.

There stood the Emperor, his expression impassive.

She glanced at the crumpled document in her hand, at the seal stamped upon it.

The golden dragon with wings unfurled—the Emperor's seal, clear as day.

The very same one currently on his finger.

A treasure of the imperial family, enchanted so that only the Emperor of the Empire could use it.

The presence of the Emperor's seal meant one thing.

The Empress approached the Emperor and asked—no, confirmed.

"...You knew. You knew everything from the start and helped her, didn't you, Your Majesty?"

That the Emperor had known about this in advance and even approved it.

And that he had kept it from her.

That was what the Empress was pointing out.

'No, before that... he lied to me. From the moment I attended this banquet, he had already...'

The Emperor nodded at her question.

"Indeed."

"What on earth does that wench have that you go this far for her?"

"This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't charged in like a madwoman to drive out your young daughter-in-law."

With that cold rebuke, he turned and issued his command.

"Return to your quarters and remain in confinement until I issue further orders."

"......"

"It will be better for your honor to walk out yourself than be dragged away."

The Emperor walked away without looking back, growing ever more distant.

Just like the scene when Isabel had first entered the hall.

He went to the side of that petite girl with pink hair.

And he gazed at her with a tenderness he had never once shown to Isabel or her daughter.

About twenty years ago, when she had first laid eyes on that man and fallen in love.

When she had thought she wanted him for herself, Isabel had learned malice alongside love.

A jealousy like black, sticky lava.

The man himself had taught it to her.

After Roxelin died, and after she herself ascended to Empress, that malice had simmered down somewhat.

But now it erupted fiercely once more.

'So even after ten years by your side, I was never your wife. Not for a single moment.'

Even knowing it would come to this, Isabel hadn't been able to let go of her lingering attachment until now.

But in this instant, the remnants of that attachment burned away completely, transmuting into hatred and thirst for vengeance.

'I'll make you regret this. I'll take everything from you.'

Isabel flung aside the crumpled document and stared at her empty hands.

Her nails had dug into her flesh, leaving them bloodied.

Empty hands that had grasped nothing, now battered and broken.

Just like herself.

From behind, Evangeline's voice called out to her.

"Mother. We need to withdraw for now."

Evangeline cautiously took hold of Isabel's wrist and pulled.

In the end, clutching only her empty hands, Isabel was led from the hall by her daughter.

A pitiful procession, followed by no one save her daughter and attendants.

But she still had hands left.

Even if they were empty voids, her nails remained to claw at her enemies.

They would come to know that.

The banquet in Artanus Hall had concluded in resounding success, beyond any doubt.

I hadn't merely succeeded at the banquet to gain recognition as Crown Princess.

I had trapped Empress Isabel, forcing her into confinement, and seized control of the inner palace as well.

'Once it's in my hands, I'll never let it go.'

It was undoubtedly the exact opposite of what the public had expected.

After the banquet ended, the Crown Prince Palace was in full festive spirits.

Congratulations poured in from all sides as Arpad and I returned.

"Congratulations, Your Highness!"

"I saw it myself—Lord Artanus himself appeared and bestowed his blessing!"

"Rumors of Your Highness the Crown Princess are spreading across the entire Empire!"

"It's so moving... sob!"

With my arm linked through Arpad's, I made my way to the bedroom, accepting the palace staff's cheers and greetings.

I forced smiles and replies, but I couldn't remember a word of what I said.

My body felt like it was melting from exhaustion.

It was only natural.

Since my regression, I hadn't rested for a single moment—I'd charged straight ahead.

All for this very instant.

And now, that banquet had finally ended.

From leaving Artanus Hall to returning to the Crown Prince Palace, it felt like walking on clouds; nothing seemed real.

Strength drained from my entire body.

The only thing keeping me upright was clinging to Arpad.

I couldn't afford to collapse, so I'd held on somehow.

I'd succeeded in feigning composure before the nobles and staff with forced smiles.

But my limit was right at the door to the Crown Prince Palace bedroom.

As soon as I saw the bedroom door, a wave of relief crashed over me, bringing a vicious wave of dizziness.

My legs buckled, and I nearly pitched forward.

"...Ah!"

The only reason I didn't fall was entirely thanks to Arpad.

His strong arms wrapped around my waist, holding me up.

"Are you all right?"

Arpad's voice, laced with rare panic, sounded strangely distant.

My vision blurred; I couldn't make out his infuriatingly handsome face.

Only his deep crimson eyes stood out sharply.

Like the monster made from Arpad's corpse I'd faced in the Magic Tower during my third life.

But it was strange.

Back then, those red eyes had terrified me beyond measure...

Now, they brought relief.

I reached out with trembling, powerless hands to touch his face.

But I kept missing.

A feverish voice leaked out.

"Why are you..."

Honestly, I wasn't even aware of what I was saying.

Arpad, with a genuinely panicked expression rarer than rare, called my name.

"Hilia?!"

'Why that anxious look? It doesn't suit you.'

My question never fully made it past my lips.

My consciousness snapped off right there.

"Hilia!!!"

I vaguely heard Arpad's shocked cry.

But my mind, sunk into deep darkness, registered nothing more.