Chapter 72
And that aligned perfectly with Odette’s plan.
“The Emperor is a man wrapped tightly in caution. He doesn’t want his children to stand out.”
The Second Prince must feel quite proud right now, basking in the spotlight. He probably thinks he made a good impression on his father and will return to his chambers to celebrate with his mother and some champagne.
But he was wrong.
The Emperor, seated on the throne, was wary of the Second Prince, who had meticulously gathered physical evidence and witnesses.
The eldest son may have acted impulsively, but the second knows how to be patient until the moment he can make a significant move—something the Emperor deeply keeps in mind.
A capable child is poison to the Emperor.
“How old is our son, Empress?”
The Emperor asked. Though he wasn’t really curious about the Crown Prince’s age, he didn’t wait for his wife’s answer before continuing.
“How do you intend to strictly teach a man well over thirty? The time for that has long passed.”
“But, Your Majesty—”
“Enough. If you say one more word on this matter, it will only increase the severity of the punishment the Crown Prince will receive.”
“Your Majesty…!”
“Take the Crown Prince and the Third Princess out. Do not give them time to pack their belongings. Immediately confine them in the Ashen Palace to the north. No one may see them except those who deliver their meals.”
With that final command, soldiers restrained the Crown Prince’s arms.
These were the same men who had barely dared to meet his gaze that very morning. Yet now, they were forcibly restraining him.
Of course, the soldiers were only following the Emperor’s orders. But the Crown Prince was not one to submit quietly.
“Your Majesty! Mother! Ah! This is unjust! Ah! You cursed hybrid! How dare you—!”
The strong young man thrashed violently, and the soldiers’ expressions stiffened. Realizing this might take all night, the Emperor gave another command.
“From this moment, the First Prince is stripped of his position as Crown Prince. Commander of the Royal Guards, what are you waiting for? Use force if necessary, and take the offender away!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
With the Emperor’s approval, the soldiers wasted no time. Several of them pinned the Crown Prince down, pressing on his neck and bending his arms.
The Empress pressed a handkerchief to her mouth, sobbing at the treatment of her cherished only son.
The Ashen Palace—some northern building with little sunlight—was where royals who had committed offenses were confined.
It was arguably better than formally trying them and imprisoning them in the capital.
Yet the Empress wasn’t sure if her son, raised with only the utmost care, could endure confinement. She knew that previous royals imprisoned there had ended their own lives due to the shock of sudden environmental change and wounded pride.
“This is a plot! They’ll gouge my eyes and tongue out while I fall into hell alive! Ah! Let go, I said!”
“My son…!”
“Do you not know who I am? Let go! Ah! Die! All of you die! That old, suspicious man—you won’t have long left either. Then you’ll see who the true victor is!”
The Crown Prince even roared at the Emperor on the throne. To speak such words, knowing his father’s temperament—his end was certain. The Empress, overwhelmed with despair, fainted.
“Is she really unconscious?”
One onlooker asked.
“Could it be an act? In a situation this serious…”
“She might be acting to win the Emperor’s sympathy. The Empress has used that trick a few times before. But this time, it seems genuine.”
As the crowd murmured, someone addressed a woman in an apron.
“What’s this? I’ve been curious—smells wonderful.”
“Oh… would you like some?”
“May I?”
“Yes, it was originally meant for the Crown Prince’s chambers. But now there’s no one to eat it.”
The woman held up a round silver-lidded tin. Starting with the person who asked, others eagerly took the buttery, fragrant cupcakes.
“Here, have one too.”
Marien didn’t refuse. Biting into the dainty cupcake, milk cream oozed inside.
‘So this is the taste of victory.’
Marien continued walking, leaving the murmuring crowd behind.
Except for the tangled love affairs, everything was unfolding as in the original story.
The fall of the Crown Prince, the Empress, and the Third Princess would soon lead to calls to place the Second Prince on the now-vacant throne.
If she had possessed Odette Rose’s body, she would be tearing her hair out in her chambers right now. Could she have survived the political storm? Even the heroine has limits. Intelligence was essential.
‘Lucky.’
She had possessed not Odette but the trivial extra aide Marien Didi. While clever Odette handled enemies one by one, she could simply enjoy sweet desserts brought by Vaileon and play at love.
Marien exhaled a sigh of relief.
“Is there a song called ‘Happy to be an Extra’? If not, I’ll make one.”
Marien spun in place, her skirt flaring, a cheerful melody springing with her steps. As she reached the end of the hallway, her humming subsided.
“That incident… still worries me.”
If she remembered correctly, a grand ball would soon be held at the palace. On that day, Vaileon would be stabbed by a dagger while protecting Odette from an ambush.
◇ ◆ ◇
On the day of the ball.
“He won’t die.”
Marien hadn’t left the Beers manor yet. She muttered into the air, feeling as though she had repeated the same words 999 times.
“That’s the most important thing. Today, Vaileon won’t die. Even if stabbed in the stomach, his life isn’t at risk.”
This is a common trope in other romance fantasies—a sacrificial act to highlight the secondary male’s devotion. This incident would make Odette care for the injured Vaileon, provoking her fiancé Cain, who then becomes a spark for the main couple’s drama. Poor Vaileon ends up a mere narrative tool.
Afterward, the original story devotes many pages to Cain’s possessive obsession, while Vaileon is barely mentioned, nursing himself alone until he later appears with the line, “Thank you for your concern. I’ve long since recovered.”
“Still, it’s reassuring. The original story guarantees his survival, so no need to worry.”
Marien sighed. Could she still trust the original story, given Cain’s declaration that “it’s you, not the Fourth Princess”?
Considering the Second Prince’s rise after the Crown Prince’s fall, she felt the political plotline was reliable.
“Even though he’s dating me, will Vaileon risk himself to save Odette?”
She immediately realized it was a futile question. Of course, he would. He was that kind of person.
Even if Marien were in Odette’s place, or if the Countess Beers or her sister were, he would shield a dagger with his own body without hesitation.
“My heart is burning…”
She didn’t want to compare herself to her lover’s past love, but she now understood what Odette meant when she said Vaileon was “too good for everyone.”
‘Why not take care of what’s mine, body or heart?’
Knock knock.
“Marien Didi, if you’re finished washing, we’ll come in. It’s time for dressing.”
Six maids rushed into her room. Marien could no longer ignore the problematic dress set before the full-length mirror.
The grand dress she would wear today—the day of the long-awaited ball—was set up, and Marien had something to clarify before beginning.
“No whale-bone corsets.”
“Yes, we’ve heard. Our lady only orders dresses from Shasha Salon; corsets are out of the question.”
An older maid indicated the modern undergarments. They were cool, sweat-absorbent, and comfortable. Marien trusted them.
An hour and forty-five minutes later.
“Even with a lighter hold, dressing took nearly two hours with several people….”
Marien stared blankly at herself in the mirror.
The sparkling tiara atop her updo and the deep pink pear-cut diamond necklace were dazzling. She temporarily forgot her earlier worries, simply overwhelmed by the beauty of the jewelry.
In natural light, it was stunning—but under the grand crystal chandeliers, the brilliance would be even more incredible.
The maids had even added a semi-transparent layer inside the deep neckline, making her skin shimmer mysteriously without overexposure.
“Honestly, this is a lighter hold,” said the second-in-rank maid.
“Excuse me?”
“If we had done the full treatment, we would’ve started from bathing you. Today, makeup was simplified.”
Marien was astonished. They had spent thirty minutes just on skincare, praising her clear, moist skin, applying extracts and pastes in layers.
Then the makeup artist finally began. And yet, this was simplified?
“Today, we’ve only assisted with dress wearing.”
“I feel reborn. It feels like the utmost beauty I could bring out in Marien Didi…”
“Assistant, this is not the maximum yet.”
The maid looked intently at Marien in the mirror.
“If you want maximum, we’ll schedule it.”
“Ah, no, I just mean… thank you.”
Marien smiled brightly at everyone and walked toward the door. She didn’t want to risk the maids insisting, “We need to help a little more!”
“Oh?”
“We’re done, Mari…en…?”
As the door opened, her eyes met Vaileon’s in the hallway. He froze, book in hand.
