Chapter 139

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 139

Chapter Title: Whispers of Betrayal

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"What is it?"

"Lady Duvered has awakened."

The Empress clutched her forehead and slowly sank into her chair.

'At least that's a relief.'

If the Child of Destiny had never opened her eyes, the Duvered house's fury would have turned the empire upside down.

"Instruct the infirmary to do everything in their power for the lady's recovery. Give them whatever they need, no matter the cost, and tell her to come to my palace once she's better... Ah, but after all that poison, she won't be in any shape to visit. I'll go to her myself."

"That's just it..."

The Empress furrowed her brow.

"She doesn't want to meet you?"

"No, she wants to speak with you now. In private."

"What?"

A strange expression crossed the Empress's face.

The Empress arranged a deeply private meeting just as I'd relayed. She even came to the infirmary in person.

"You've granted me a difficult request. I'll never forget your help."

"Help? It's my respect and sincerity toward you, Your Majesty."

The palace eunuch rubbed his palms together like a fly and poured out fawning words. The Empress, accustomed to it, arched a brow and glanced at him.

"I have words for the lady alone."

"Yes, yes. I'll make sure no word leaks out. Please speak freely."

Once the eunuch left, the Empress settled lightly onto the chair by my bed.

"Good heavens. How hard it must have been to endure that poison in such a tiny body. I'm truly glad you've awakened."

I sprawled on the bed, feigning weakness, but smirked inwardly.

"Your Majesty..."

"Don't worry. I won't forgive the one who did this to you. But... why did you summon me, my lady?"

I fidgeted with my hands before slyly grasping the hem of her robe.

"The chief physician said you might be in trouble now."

She stroked my cheek with utmost tenderness, but couldn't hide the unease flickering in her eyes.

'She's properly rattled now that things have turned this way.'

No wonder—according to the chief physician, Marquis Nodelli had fled the palace pale-faced and gone straight to Duke Marsch.

'Marquis Nodelli's an idiot, but he has a nose for this sort of thing.'

No business sense, clueless about what's important, but cornered, he'd zeroed in on someone who could flip the board.

There are people who value what they've built over their own children. Plenty of them among the empire's power players who'd survived bloody power struggles for house and throne. Duke Marsch was one such man.

Igor Marsch put his own glory and house above his daughter the Empress.

'That's why he made her Empress in the first place.'

His daughter, the Empress, knew his nature better than anyone.

And if she got tangled in this mess, sure, her prestige would take a hit from negligence charges. But that's all.

With me backing her from the shadows, she could recover anytime. Better to sacrifice Marquis Nodelli than tarnish her own name.

'Feeling anxious?'

The Empress forced her lips into a smile.

"Even in this situation, you worry for me. Thank you. Is that all you had to say?"

"Your maid, Audrey Noscher, and Marquis Nodelli... they're lovers."

"...What?"

"When you went to talk with Princess Ingrid, I stepped out to the restroom. That's when I saw them—locked in an embrace. He said, 'Let me smell my woman's scent.'"

I widened my eyes as I spoke, and the Empress drew a sharp breath.

"Such... filth!"

She shot to her feet and roughly swept back her hair.

"Dirty wretches. Daring to do that under my nose in my own palace?"

I propped myself up slightly, leaning against the headboard, and looked up at her.

"The chief physician said the poison got in because Noscher couldn't manage the tea properly. That's why you're in trouble. But... isn't Marquis Nodelli the real villain here?"

"...Yes. He might have deliberately seduced Audrey to create an opening against my daughter. I'm the victim."

The Empress's eyes darkened with fury, thick rage filling the quiet room.

I covered my mouth with my fingertips and grinned.

'Yes, yes. Push Nodelli off the cliff instead of me.'

"But why tell me this, my lady?"

"Because you're amazing, Your Majesty!"

"...Me?"

I clasped my hands over my chest and nodded vigorously.

"Imperial blood makes royals precious from birth, the empire's treasures. But you became the highest-born woman through your own efforts. That's incredible. Amazing!"

I sparkled my eyes, and her lips twitched briefly.

She leaned close and gently stroked my cheek. I leaned into her hand like a cat, beaming happily.

"I like you very much, Leblain. Truly."

"I like you too, Your Majesty."

"Don't forget that feeling. I'll share my glory, honor, and fame with you... Leblain."

I startled inwardly and looked up. The Empress kept many by her side, but called none so intimately.

'Not even Mina.'

She'd used "Child of Destiny," "girl," or "Lady Amities."

'I've won her over completely.'

I smirked inwardly.

A short while later.

The Empress sent her maids out of the palace on "leave" for their party hardships, arranging for soldiers to burst in while Audrey and Marquis Nodelli lay in the same bed.

After ten full days confined to the palace infirmary, I finally returned to the mansion.

"The infirmary head wanted to keep you longer."

Trigon grumbled from where he lounged against the doorframe.

I shrugged as I took papers from the chief physician detailing the poisoning investigation.

"It wasn't a real curse anyway."

"Do you know how busy I was because you faked that poisoning?"

"Be grateful. A mere doctor like the infirmary head wouldn't know curses from a hole in the ground—best he could do was basic nursing. That's why the chief court mage got involved."

I pulled an shameless face: 'Wasn't me. The Empress ordered it.'

Trigon sighed heavily.

"Why didn't you see the Duvereds while they visited?"

"Dad, brothers, and aunt are all top mages. They panicked at first, but once they calmed, they might realize it wasn't a real curse."

I skimmed the papers as I continued.

"Oh, tell me the symptoms of a curse Dad would buy. I need to act it out."

"...I already told them not to worry."

I froze mid-page and glared at Trigon.

"Why do something I didn't ask? I told you not to say anything! Dad's sharp—he'll figure out what that means!"

"Do you know how much the Duvereds suffered after you collapsed? The young masters lost their minds, Your Grace was like a corpse...!"

"Better than me actually dying!"

"...Pardon?"

"Don't you get it? If they find out I'm not the Child of Destiny, I'm sacrifice fodder. Dead either way!"

"But the Duvereds wouldn't just—"

"Let it happen? Exactly! That's why I can't tell Dad who I am! He'd die protecting me!"

Trigon stepped back as I half-lost it, yelling.

"You said Duvered will become powerful enough to push out the Five Great Ducal Houses. Then..."

"You think that'll instantly beat the palace and temple? The nobles? If palace and temple command it, every noble in the empire will come for me under 'greater good' pretenses!"

How many blades and assassins could Dad and brothers fend off?

How many Duvereds would survive that war?

Even if Dad protected me amid the upheaval, we'd pay a horrific price.

Zakaria might fall, or Lea, or the three maids.

'Even Dad or my brothers could die.'

That's why we needed a stronghold. Before my fake identity was exposed, we had to make Duvered so powerful even palace and temple couldn't touch it.

To protect myself and the family willing to die for me.

The chief physician grabbed me as my eyes turned red with agitation.

"It's soundproofed, but someone might come. Let's go home first."

"...How long since Dad stopped requesting visits?"

"Five days."

I squeezed my eyes shut.

'Dad already knows I faked the poisoning.'

Trigon fell silent, watching me pale.

The chief physician and I brushed past him and opened the door. We boarded the waiting carriage outside the infirmary, and the wheels soon rolled.

The mansion was dark inside when we arrived. Servants exchanged glances before forcing smiles at me.

"You're back. Glad you're recovering. We've prepared a meal..."

"Where's Dad?"

"Well..."

"Where is he?"

The butler looked troubled and glanced toward Dad's study.

I took trembling steps. Voices leaked from the study.

I knocked softly. "It's me."

The door slid open.

Dad sat in his chair, expressionless, staring at me.

A sigh-like puff of cigarette smoke escaped Trigon's lips. His brow furrowed slightly as he wrote up generic curse symptoms.

"How can she look so happy in this mess? Smiling so brightly—it put me at ease..."

The chief physician glanced at him in the Hof Merchant Group's office.

"She's doing it to ease our minds."

"...Pardon?"

"She tosses and turns every dawn. Nightmares every night—she barely sleeps. But if she showed her fears, how would that make us underlings feel?"

"..."

"She's died three times, lived four. We can't imagine her life."

"From the family's view..."

The chief physician sighed and set down his papers.

"She drank the Empress's tea. Knowing it might be poisoned."

"..."

"That's how desperate she is. No room to retreat."

"..."

"Pray nothing happens at Duvered House today. You can't fathom what family means to someone who's lived all four lives as an orphan."

Trigon's shoulders slumped.

"Oh, but there's something bothering me."

"What?"

"They say Nodelli cursed Duke Marsch from his underground cell. Why? Not his poison-pouring daughter, not the Empress who exposed the affair—but Marsch...?"

The chief physician's eyes narrowed.

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