IWPU 33

Chapter 33

The First Empress folded her fan. The crisp sound of the fan closing echoed through the drawing room.

“You’ve grown so much. Crown Prince, I find myself overwhelmed with emotion.”

Despite her tone suggesting admiration, the First Empress’s eyes as she looked at the Crown Prince were sharp. The Crown Prince, still with his arm around my waist, smiled toward her.

“It’s all thanks to Your Majesty, the First Empress.”

A fierce battle of wills unfolded between the Crown Prince and the First Empress. Neither blinked, staring each other down.

“I heard the Duchess of Garfield will serve as Lady Elient’s chaperone?”

“Yes, that’s correct, Your Majesty.”

The House of Garfield was the family of the former empress, making them the maternal relatives of the Crown Prince. While his maternal grandfather still remained active as the Duke for the Crown Prince’s sake, his maternal grandmother had secluded herself from society after the previous empress’s death. The only time I had seen her was during my coming-of-age ceremony and the wedding with the Crown Prince.

“She’s been shut away in her residence all this time. Has she changed her mind?”

“That young lady is, after all, her future granddaughter-in-law. It’s only natural.”

“How fortunate.”

Although she wore a faint smile on her lips, the fan in the First Empress’s hand bent under the strength of her grip, as if it might snap.

“The coming-of-age ceremony will be held at the Elient estate, I assume? How unfortunate that I won’t be able to witness it.”

It was rare for members of the royal family to attend parties held outside the palace. Such appearances could be misinterpreted as excessive intimacy with the host. Even if that intimacy was real, their presence could easily become the subject of scandalous rumors.

Especially for those wielding power, they were keenly aware of how their words and actions impacted the court. To avoid unnecessary controversy, they refrained from acting recklessly.

But my case was a bit different. Regardless of reality, I was officially the Crown Prince’s fiancée. Soon to become the Crown Princess and part of the royal family, it was only natural for members of the royal family—excluding the Emperor and Empress—to attend my coming-of-age ceremony. Refusing to attend would publicly signal opposition to me.

“Surely you weren’t unaware of that?”

The Crown Prince exaggerated a shocked expression as if teasing the First Empress. One corner of his red lips curled upward.

“His Majesty is already preparing my fiancée’s coming-of-age ceremony at the Erharak Hall. There’s no need to regret not attending, Your Majesty.”

“The Erharak Hall, you say?”

The First Empress let out a sharp sound as if she had heard something outrageous. I too was so stunned I couldn’t hide my expression and stared at the Crown Prince.

The Erharak Hall was the largest in the imperial palace and was only used for national events—New Year’s parties, founding ceremonies, or royal weddings. I had also held my coming-of-age and wedding ceremony there in the past. Like the First Empress, I too wanted to scream at the Crown Prince’s unexpected announcement.

“To hold a mere marquis’s daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony in the Erharak Hall! That’s absurd!”

The fan in the First Empress’s hand finally snapped. The force of her grip broke the fan’s spokes, which flew apart.

She clenched her jaw and lips in rage, trembling slightly. I too found it hard to stay calm. If what the Crown Prince said was true, then the Emperor was preparing my coming-of-age ceremony—and possibly my wedding—all at once again.

“A mere marquis’s daughter? Lady Elient is my fiancée. Soon to be Crown Princess. She has every right to hold her coming-of-age ceremony there.”

The Crown Prince himself had held his coming-of-age ceremony in the Erharak Hall. So there was nothing strange about me doing the same as his bride-to-be. The real question was whether it was just my coming-of-age ceremony being planned there.

It seemed the First Empress had the same thought. There was no way she would react so violently if this was merely about the location.

“To think a party would be held without the knowledge of the Empress, the head of the Inner Court. Unthinkable, isn’t it, Empress?”

The First Empress seemed to regain her composure briefly. She kept her eyes fixed on the Crown Prince as she addressed the Empress. Caught off guard by the sudden accusation, the Empress opened and closed her mouth, her eyes darting. It was customary for the Empress to host all parties of the Inner Court. However, since this one was being overseen directly by the Emperor, there was nothing the figurehead Empress could say.

“I asked if it’s not unthinkable!”

“Y-yes, but…”

The First Empress’s raised voice brought tears to the Empress’s eyes. The First Empress kept glaring at the Crown Prince, while the Empress looked back and forth between them, wringing her hands.

“This is an event hosted by His Majesty himself. Not even Her Majesty the Empress can oppose his will. Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?”

“Y-yes. Of course. The Crown Prince is right.”

The Empress responded eagerly, as if she had found salvation in the Crown Prince’s gentle tone. The First Empress shifted her glare to the Empress, but the latter avoided her gaze.

The Empress had no real power. Her family survived by clinging to the First Empress’s faction. She had little hope of bearing a prince. And even if she did, it would be nearly impossible to build a new faction against already established adult princes. So, for her to side against the First Empress took immense courage—though it was the Emperor she feared more than the First Empress.

“Even the head of the Inner Court approves.”

The Crown Prince’s tone held clear mockery. The First Empress bit her lip, distorting her once-composed face.

“With Her Majesty’s approval and His Majesty personally hosting the party, I hope you won’t act rashly, First Empress.”

With that, the Crown Prince, still holding me by the waist, swept past the First Empress and exited the drawing room.

As we left her behind, the smile vanished from the Crown Prince’s face. As soon as we stepped out of the Empress’s wing, he lifted me into his arms.

The court ladies waiting outside gasped and flushed red at the sight. I struggled to break free, but his firm arms held me tightly.

“Just stay like this until we’re out of here.”

He seemed deeply angry. This was the Empress’s palace—the First Empress was here too. With so many eyes and ears watching, arguing with him here wasn’t an option.

I stopped struggling and covered my face with my hands. I had never been held by a man like this in front of others. Being carried like a princess in front of all those staring eyes was far more embarrassing than I had imagined. With his long strides, he quickly exited the palace.

He only set me down once we reached a secluded part of his palace’s inner garden. He dismissed all the attendants and ladies-in-waiting nearby. Now we were completely alone in an open space.

My face was still flushed red, and I missed my chance to slap him out of embarrassment. He sighed and ran his hand roughly through his hair. His usually neat silver hair became disheveled by the motion.

“Why did you come to the palace?!”

“…Pardon?”

I could only blink dumbly at his sudden outburst. He looked frustrated and unfastened the button at his throat. I had never seen him so undone—neither now nor in the past.

“Didn’t you receive my message telling you not to come?”

“I didn’t receive anything.”

I frowned and shook my head. I had received no such message. If I had, I wouldn’t have come in the first place.

“Damn it!”

He cursed low under his breath, clearly displeased. I stared at him wide-eyed. He had always been so refined and polite. The man before me now seemed like someone else entirely wearing the Crown Prince’s face.

“Is something wrong?”

“I believe the First Empress has begun to act.”

“What do you mean by that?”

He didn’t answer, simply stared at me, breathing evenly as if calming himself.

He had been raised as the Crown Prince since birth. As the future Emperor, he had learned how to control his emotions and manipulate others according to his will. He was skilled at restraint. And now, in a flash, he returned to his usual composed self.

“Could you explain so I understand?”

“Someone interfered with my messages to you.”

“Are you saying it was the First Empress?”

“Very few knew I would be away from the palace today.”

I had forgotten in my surprise at his arrival, but a servant in the Empress’s wing had said the Crown Prince wasn’t in the palace today. I looked at him anew. If he had been gone, then hearing I had entered the palace must have made him rush back immediately.

But why? Was he worried the First Empress might harm me? Or that I’d fall into her trap? I couldn’t guess his true intentions.

“In any case, it can’t be helped now. Bii, you’ll have to yield.”

“Yield what?”

“Your coming-of-age ceremony.”

I frowned. Why was he bringing up my ceremony now of all times?

“What do you mean, yield it?”

“I mean we’ll go ahead and hold your coming-of-age ceremony.”

His words didn’t make sense. He had just told the First Empress that the Emperor was preparing it. Now he said we had to hold it ourselves. I had a guess—but this wasn’t the kind of maneuver I’d expect from someone as upright as him.

I asked hesitantly,

“Don’t tell me… everything you said to the First Empress was a lie?”