BTEE 17

Chapter : 17

“An appointed candidate?!”

Marquis Lotes slammed his fist on the desk as he shouted. His face was completely contorted.

“Lower your voice. Do you know who you’re speaking in front of?”

A nobleman quietly whispered the warning, glancing at Duke Ikart.

Noticing the gesture, Marquis Lotes cleared his throat awkwardly and sat down.

“Anyway, what on earth is this? An appointed candidate for the imperial consort?!”

“It’s exactly as it sounds. My subordinate personally witnessed that the candidate the Empress had chosen for the consort position met someone in secret.”

“Is… is that really true?”

Some nobles’ faces twisted at the confident tone that spoke of precise information.

Most of the nobles present had dreams of turning their own daughters into ladies of the royal court.

Hearing that there was an appointed candidate, some grew angry, while others quietly began plotting.

Ultimately, the selection of consorts was entirely the Empress’s responsibility.

She had said she would not be swayed by personal feelings and would select a woman whom everyone could acknowledge.

Yet, the existence of an appointed candidate meant…

“Isn’t this a deception by the Empress?”

“That’s right. She claimed she would carry out the selection with complete integrity!”

One by one, the nobles began to side with Marquis Lotes. They agreed this was not something that could be overlooked.

Duke Ikart, who had been silently listening, clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘Fools.’

It had been foolish to assign someone to watch over Casielope Clemens, and even more foolish to assume the Empress wouldn’t know.

No matter that she had been humiliated and ousted from the throne, Casielope Clemens was not someone to underestimate.

She had become the imperial heir at a young age and ascended the throne while still young.

She possessed extraordinary military skill to lead at the front of battle and impeccable strategy for conducting trade with foreign nations.

‘The Empress would never handle things so carelessly.’

Duke Ikart’s gaze turned cold.

She surely knew everything. She knew someone was following her, and that rumors of an appointed candidate would spread.

The thought that this might all be a situation she had orchestrated herself made the corners of the Duke’s mouth curl in a faint, sharp smirk.

‘Annoying… truly annoying.’

Yet, it wouldn’t be long now. He held something in his hand briefly and then let it go.

At that instant, his eyes flickered strangely, as if he had become someone else, if only for a moment.

“Still here, Your Majesty…”

Tesha quietly bit her lip as she entered the room to check on Casielope.

Since her days as a princess, Casielope had always been a heavy sleeper, often lingering in bed a little longer.

Yet for a week now, she hadn’t slept a single night, her eyes wide open.

She hadn’t woken up early before Tesha arrived. While she had slept in the imperial quarters, by morning she was in the room she had used as a princess.

“Couldn’t sleep again today?”

“I’m fine, Tesha.”

“Sure… saying that with a face like that, I’m supposed to believe you?”

Tesha held a small mirror up to Casielope’s face, as if to make her see for herself.

Casielope looked at her reflection and let out a small laugh.

It was exactly as it looked—her face was far from okay, even in her own eyes.

“You should take some sleeping medicine. You’ll really get into trouble if this continues.”

Tesha wiped Casielope’s face with a damp cloth. Despite her worry, Casielope shook her head slightly.

A faint sigh escaped Tesha’s lips.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

Casielope shook her head again.

“Then… did something happen with Emperor Regis that day?”

Her reaction didn’t change. Tesha could not hide her frustration at the consistent denial.

Once Tesha’s questions ended, Casielope’s violet eyes, fixed on her, stared emptily into the air as the cold cloth brushed her face.

It wasn’t a nightmare. On the contrary, it had been a happy dream.

Her past self had dreamed of a future with Regis.

The deeper she fell asleep, the more it felt like plunging into an abyss.

The dream Regis, smiling kindly at her, was too different from the real Regis who continued to bring her misery.

Though it was him, it felt alien.

The more her past memories came to her in sleep, the more her present reality stood out.

So it was better not to remember at all.

“How’s the tea party preparation?”

“Lady Mardia is preparing it. It should almost be finished by now.”

“…Alright.”

“I’ll help with your adornments.”

Casielope nodded gently, as if to say ‘do as you will,’ her eyelids lowering over her purple eyes.

As usual, the elaborate preparations began. Tesha’s swift hands brought life back to Casielope’s weary face.

When Casielope opened her eyes, Tesha shook her head.

“Not done yet.”

“Now I know that too.”

Casielope smiled faintly at Tesha’s words, preempting any attempt to run.

…Now I know.

Things she thought she could never get used to were gradually becoming familiar. Realizing that, her lips tightened slightly.

“Why are you like this?”

Tesha noticed the change immediately.

Casielope shook her head as if it were nothing, then after a moment of silence, spoke.

“I feel like I’m getting used to this… the adornments, Tesha doing them, me receiving them.”

“…”

“I tried not to get used to it, but it seems I can’t control that.”

Her hand, smoothing her red hair, froze.

Tesha had no words. She couldn’t say it was good or bad that Casielope had grown accustomed.

Tesha had been by Casielope’s side since childhood, witnessing all her early years—even her envy of other noble girls.

When young Casielope expressed disappointment, wishing she could wear dresses and be adorned, Tesha had slowly begun to practice.

She trained using girls Casielope’s age, honing her skills to ensure she could adorn Casielope herself someday.

It had not been meaningless. She was doing it now.

Yet this wasn’t the outcome anyone wanted.

It wasn’t what Casielope wanted, nor what Tesha had wanted.

If only…

‘I shouldn’t have practiced.’

Tears began to well in Tesha’s eyes.

Everything she had done for Casielope now seemed like it had only been in vain, as if it were a wish to bring her down.

It all felt like her fault.

“Oh… I made you cry. That wasn’t my intention.”

Her bitten lips, trying to keep back her own tears, had turned red. Casielope gently placed her hand over Tesha’s.

“It’ll hurt, so just cry out loud, Tesha.”

“…”

“Sorry, but cry a little for me. I can’t cry.”

“…”

“It’s because of the makeup. You worked so hard to make me look nice—if I cried, you’d have to redo everything.”

Tesha knew it was an excuse. She tried to tell herself it was fine to work a little harder, but she swallowed the words.

She could not break the resolve shining in Casielope’s empty eyes. And she wouldn’t have.

“…I’ll be done soon, very soon.”

“Take your time. No rush.”

“A little… rushing might be fine.”

“Really. Can’t be helped.”

Through the remnants of weary hours, the golden sun traced its path, rising with a beautiful and lonely light.

Casielope stood. A ray of brilliantly sorrowful light fell across her face from the window.

She walked to the terrace, rested her hands on the railing, and looked out over the Clemens Empire.

“Beautiful… so beautiful.”

Color returned to her previously empty eyes.

The ray of light over the cool dawn felt wonderfully fresh.

“I’ll protect it… today as well.”