Chapter 10
10. Still Strange, This Kind of Thing
“…Still strange, this kind of thing.”
As she drew closer, a subtle yet pleasant fragrance emanated from the woman.
His heart dropping heavily, Meryem quickly pulled away and roughly rubbed his lips.
“Eldaim. Maintain the subspace until that woman wakes up.”
- Very well. Will you be returning immediately?
“I have to.”
To a place no one welcomes him.
Meryem took off the bracelet he was wearing and placed it beside the woman. And that was it.
He walked away without looking back.
He didn’t care who the woman was.
After all, he was destined to return here soon.
‘We’ll meet again.’
When that time comes, he’d ask for her name.
For the sole reason that there might be at least one person in this world who wished for him to live, Meryem, for the first time in his life, was no longer afraid to live.
“Huff.”
How many times had I tossed and turned, drifting in and out of sleep?
Unable to overcome the drowsiness that felt like someone grabbing and pulling down my consciousness, I thrashed about in my dreams for a long time.
By the time I came to, the boy was already gone.
All that remained was my cleaned fur coat and a single gold bracelet.
“What? Looking closely, this is a magical tool, isn’t it?”
There was a time in the human world when magic existed as naturally as breathing. The era of the Great Magical Empire, when the entire continent was unified into one nation.
Back then, various magical tools were developed and circulated, and magic was so common that even children on the streets used them.
But not anymore.
‘It’s at least a thousand years old.’
After examining the bracelet from various angles, I murmured the ancient letters inscribed on the inside. The bracelet hummed and began to glow, fulfilling its duty as a magical tool.
“Oh. It’s a divine power barrier.”
Ordinary barriers were used to block physical force, magical attacks, or spirit attacks. But this one blocks contact with divine power.
Unless it’s a divine power strong enough to destroy this magical tool, most divine powers would no longer be able to threaten me.
“Leaving behind something so precious. Even though they themselves could use it.”
I clicked my tongue, but had no intention of refusing. An item that blocks divine power from reaching me. What a coincidence—it’s exactly what I need, isn’t it?
‘As long as I live as Empress, I’ll have to go to that damned temple once or twice. To pray for the empire’s well-being or something. And I’ll have to meet with the priests as well.’
The only divine power that could surpass this item would be Enrique’s.
But what are the chances that Enrique would notice the bracelet is a magical tool and destroy it?
‘None. In this era, the very concept of magical tools doesn’t even exist.’
Since I received something so precious, I should treat them well if we meet again.
Humming a tune, I stretched. Then, as I exited the Spirit King’s subspace, I came to an abrupt halt.
‘Huh? Why is dawn breaking?’
How much time had passed?!
Cold sweat ran down my spine—my senses hadn’t been wrong.
“Your Majesty the Empress!!”
The soldiers of House Ahil, guarding the Empress’s Palace, were searching for me like mad.
Once discovered, I was escorted back to the palace with utmost care, where Lady Bertholdt awaited me with a sleepless face.
“Your… Majesty.”
Derrick had gone out to search for me as far as the forest surrounding the imperial palace and returned late after receiving word; he looked absolutely terrible.
“Sorry, everyone.”
I had specifically asked to be woken up after an hour, hadn’t I? But that damn spirit ignored what I said. I knew I shouldn’t trust spirits.
I could only think such things inwardly. Unless I wanted to be suspected of being mentally unstable.
Smiling awkwardly, I received a medical examination, after which I had to endure all sorts of worried nagging while surrounded by the people of the Empress’s Palace.
“Where on earth were you? Do you know how… how worried I was…!”
“Well, I fell asleep. I don’t know where, but I cried in some empty room and just passed out.”
“You cried? What… what happened to make you cry! Who made our Majesty cry!!”
My maid, Charlotte, raised her voice indignantly. Only then did I recall how I had come to meet that boy.
‘Oh my god, I completely forgot about Enrique.’
Seeing the bloodline of the Sun God here had been so shocking that it slipped my mind.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I scratched my cheek.
“I saw the Emperor.”
“……!”
“He was with the Saintess.”
“Your Majesty…”
Charlotte’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. Lady Bertholdt also wore a grim expression.
Looking around at them, I remembered something I needed to say.
“Why wasn’t I informed about the summit?”
I asked calmly, and Lady Bertholdt fell to her knees before me with a thud. The other maids also lowered themselves following their head maid.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Because that… incident was one of the reasons, I simply couldn’t bring myself to tell you. After you lost your memories, you seemed so happy. I kept thinking I should tell you, but then I thought… just one more day… and kept my mouth shut.”
“Indeed, the Empress’s Palace isn’t prepared to receive important guests at all.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Has the Saintess been hosting every palace banquet?”
Lady Bertholdt answered with silence.
I sighed softly and reached out my hand.
“Get up, Suzanne. I understand that you didn’t speak for my sake. But if this keeps happening, I won’t be able to trust you, Suzanne.”
“I am deeply sorry.”
“So tell me. How strong is the Saintess’s influence in the imperial palace right now? What is the position of the Empress’s Palace? What are the duties of the Empress that lie ahead? How much of what I should be doing has the Saintess taken from me? Tell me everything.”
Lifespan and vitality are the same thing.
Someone with little time left to live can’t be full of energy, can they?
Until yesterday, I could barely walk, but today, I was different.
Thanks to having absorbed so much of that boy’s life force, my voice had strength and my movements were brisk.
‘I need to resolve this while I have the chance.’
From what I heard, the summit was about thirty-one days away.
Because the Empress had been bedridden for a long time with a “severe cold,” paperwork hadn’t been completed, and it hadn’t yet been decided who would be in charge of preparing the banquet.
No matter how much the Saintess had hosted every banquet so far, the proper procedure was to contact the Empress’s Palace and obtain permission.
“The Saintess’s side did send word inquiring about how to proceed with the banquet, but I pretended not to see it.”
“Well done, Suzanne. Thanks to you, we can host the banquet.”
“Yes, that’s… Yes?”
Lady Bertholdt’s eyes widened. I chuckled and continued kindly.
“Why are you so surprised? It’s only proper that the Empress’s Palace hosts the banquet.”
“Th-that’s true, but…”
“Of course, I shouldn’t overexert myself, but Suzanne, you’ll help me a lot, won’t you?”
“I will serve you with all my heart, Your Majesty!”
Lady Bertholdt exclaimed, overcome with emotion.
Honestly, the head maid of the Empress’s Palace should be at the center of immense power. Yet until now, she had lived quietly, unable to assert herself.
But things would be different from now on.
I had always been a generous ruler to my loyal subjects.
As I enjoyed my position, so too should my loyal subjects.
“I need to attend tomorrow’s morning court. My father will be there too, I suppose.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Is it certain that the fact I’ve lost some of my memories hasn’t leaked out beyond trustworthy people?”
“Yes, Your Grace. Even the Duke doesn’t know.”
“Good. See that they remain silent from now on.”
Lady Bertholdt looked at me with eyes filled with both joy and confusion. It was only natural that she might find it strange that I had disappeared, returned, and now declared I would host the banquet.
Lest she think I had changed too suddenly and become suspicious, I let my straight posture slump and sank into the sofa. Then, in a much more relaxed tone, I whispered.
“I’m not going to give up my rights any longer. Let the Saintess have the Emperor’s love. But I cannot lose the authority of the Empress. Because this is all I have left…”
Lowering my voice slightly created an atmosphere of utter desolation. Maids sniffled here and there, and I firmly held Lady Bertholdt’s hand and patted it.
And the next day.
I attended morning court.
I planned to arrive about an hour before the meeting, secure my seat, and set the mood to gain the upper hand.
“Ah, Enrique!”
But I had to stop before the meeting room door.
The meaning of the cajoling voice seeping through the crack in the door was clear.
Even the imperial knights guarding the Emperor exchanged glances, flustered.
“The Emperor is truly busy with official duties.”
I recited this expressionlessly, and the knights averted their eyes as if ashamed.
“How… how could they do this in the meeting room…”
Derrick, standing behind me, gritted his teeth ominously.
I agreed with him.
“Judging by your reactions, this seems not to have been the first or second time.”
Should I throw open this door right now and strangle those bastards?
My grip tightened. Though I tried to speak sarcastically, the feeling as if the ground was sinking beneath my feet didn’t easily fade.
How should I describe this complex emotion?
I was the wife who had married Enrique. Though I had become human, I was still his wife.
I pitied poor Leonarda, who hadn’t received even the minimum respect as a wife, and I felt so wronged by my past self who had loved a bastard like that that I thought I might go mad.
Just then.
“What is the Empress doing here?”
The door swung open, and Enrique appeared in disheveled clothing.
Over his shoulder, the pink-haired woman’s eyes were wide open, just like before.
