Episode 15
For a split second, Alicia’s blue eyes trembled—but it was enough to make Kaien’s anger pause.
“I don’t know what Your Majesty means,”
Alicia answered honestly.
Kaien’s instincts told him she was telling the truth.
“Yes. I indeed ordered the servants to carefully collect the bodies of those who died in Your Majesty’s quarters and send them home.”
“Why?”
Kaien stepped closer, his dark eyes pinning Alicia in place, making it hard to breathe.
“I forbade anyone to even speak of it,” Kaien said coldly. “Why interfere?”
“Because…”
Alicia bit her dry lips without realizing it, then looked up at him.
She couldn’t use lies or clever excuses. That would never work on him.
“Don’t speak to me of pity,” Kaien cut in sharply.
The wall between them from her past life was still there—high, cold, and unyielding.
“If you pitied them because they were connected to you, that’s another matter.”
His tone was full of anger.
Surely this was about more than just the bodies—
He had mentioned Duke Nigel earlier, and that name was the clue.
Alicia only knew that Duke Nigel was the head of the nobles… and that Kaien hated him deeply.
“Why are you silent?” Kaien pressed.
It seemed Duke Nigel was somehow involved.
Her nightmare from last night no longer felt like just a dream.
“I have already confirmed they never served you,” Kaien said.
If pity and duty couldn’t be her reasons, what could she say?
Even if her words made him draw his sword… she could only speak honestly.
“This is my last question,” Kaien said, his voice low. “Why did you involve yourself in their deaths?”
Alicia’s heart pounded.
She remembered that, before, Kaien barely cared about her—he could have killed her at any time, but didn’t bother.
That was the truth of their marriage.
“I did not involve myself in their deaths,” Alicia said firmly.
Whether from past resentment or from having nothing to lose, she met his gaze directly.
Even Kaien, despite himself, was surprised by her steady eyes.
“You were the one who executed them, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, I cut them down myself. Do you call that cruel?”
“No.”
Kaien gave a short, sharp laugh at her bold answer.
Before he could speak again, Alicia continued quickly:
“When I heard the news… I believed Your Majesty must have had a strong reason to act outside normal law.”
Kaien frowned, puzzled, but Alicia pressed on.
She had to say this now, while she had the courage.
“But I hated the thought that foolish people would hear rumors and call you cruel.”
“…You hated it?”
Every word from Alicia was unexpected.
Kaien frowned deeper, but he couldn’t look away from her clear blue eyes.
“Yes,” she said softly. “You must have had no choice but to execute them yourself.”
Kaien felt strange.
This woman—whom he thought was the farthest person from him—was trying to understand him.
“But not everyone can see Your Majesty’s true reasons,” Alicia went on.
“Foolish people will just call you cruel. As your Empress, I hated the idea of that.”
Kaien blinked slowly, unsure of what to say.
Who was this woman?
He had expected nothing from her after she abandoned Lukan’s teachings… but now this?
“When you say ‘foolish people’… You mean Duke Nigel?” Kaien asked.
“I don’t know much about the council or the nobles,” Alicia replied honestly.
An unintended but perfect answer.
“But whoever they are, I don’t want anyone staining Your Majesty’s name.
Even if they were criminals, even after death.”
“…What do you mean?”
Kaien didn’t notice his voice had softened.
The control of the conversation was slowly shifting to Alicia.
“Your Majesty executed them,” she said calmly. “They deserved to be treated as criminals.
But if their bodies are thrown out like garbage, rumors will only grow.”
Kaien waited silently, almost as if he wanted to hear more.
Alicia took a small breath and continued:
“If bodies like that leave the palace without respect, people will make up stories.”
She saw Kaien’s gaze on her soften, and she allowed herself a tiny smile.
“I couldn’t let petty things like that ruin Your Majesty’s honor.”
She knelt slightly, showing her respect.
“They were guilty and deserved death. But even in death, they shouldn’t be used as tools for more sin.”
Kaien’s black eyes swept over her face as if trying to read her heart.
“I have been a lacking Empress since my illness,” Alicia admitted quietly.
“But I could not watch Your Majesty’s name be tarnished.
I acted without permission… and for that, I am sorry.”
She lowered her head.
A few long seconds passed.
“…You did it for me?” Kaien asked at last.
His voice held no anger now—only genuine curiosity.
“You didn’t want me to be called cruel, so you ordered their bodies to be handled?”
“…Yes.”
Alicia slowly lifted her head and met his eyes.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
She had prepared for his doubts.
In a way, her nightmare had helped her plan this answer.
“They… unfortunately died from illness,” Alicia said evenly.
Kaien’s eyes flickered.
“As Your Majesty said, nothing unusual happened in the palace this morning.”
His eyebrow twitched slightly.
“Because they died of illness, and their hometowns were far away… I ordered the steward to cremate them and send their ashes.”
Kaien’s mouth opened slightly in surprise.
They said she had become foolish after her fever.
But now she was proving the opposite—she was sharp and quick‑thinking.
“So that no one would spread strange rumors about them,” Alicia finished calmly.
It was perfect.
If she said they were cremated after illness, no one would see the sword wounds, and no one could gossip further.
Kaien had no regrets about killing Nigel’s spies… but he hated the nuisance of rumors.
And Alicia had solved that problem completely.
“If I acted wrongly and upset Your Majesty, I am ready for punishment,” Alicia said, bowing again.
Kaien stared at her lowered head for a long moment.
Her soft lashes trembled over her clear cheeks.
“Yes… It was unnecessary,” Kaien said at last.
He never cared about reputation or gossip.
But his voice was no longer angry.
“But it’s not something worth punishing.”
His voice, once full of rage, now sounded almost gentle.
“Very well… if you give me a satisfying lunch, I’ll forgive you.”
A small smirk curled on Kaien’s lips.
“I will do my best, even with simple dishes,” Alicia said calmly.
She hadn’t planned for this exact situation, but luckily, the kitchen already had plenty of ingredients Kaien liked.
“You’ll see,” Kaien said, letting out a small, mysterious laugh before turning to leave.
“I will accompany you, Your Majesty,” said the palace steward waiting outside.
If Alicia hadn’t given her earlier orders, everyone would have panicked. The steward thought about that as he followed Kaien.
“And Glen?” Kaien asked.
“He is in the garden, Your Majesty.”
“Tell him to go back. I’ll be having lunch here.”
The steward gave a respectful smile.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll inform him right away.”
The servants who overheard through the door felt their hearts pound.
But thanks to Alicia’s quick thinking, the tension had melted.
Otherwise, Kaien’s dark expression would never have softened so fast.
“So then… what is for lunch today?” Kaien asked.
By chance, Alicia had already ordered an abundant menu that morning.
She had even asked Miller, the Emperor’s steward, for suggestions.
“Normally, Your Majesty, the Empress decides the menu. She prefers light meals with seasonal vegetables.”
“Then, is today just vegetables?” Kaien asked, sounding bored.
The steward bowed deeply and smiled.
“Strangely enough, Your Majesty, the Empress requested something special today.”
He thought fast. Kaien had enjoyed roasted pheasant before, and yesterday he liked veal and other meats.
What else would please him?
“This season, the salmon is excellent,” the steward said smoothly.
“We will grill it in butter and serve it with lemon.”
Kaien nodded in approval.
“Now that I think of it, I have been eating too much meat lately. Salmon sounds good.”
And so, the Empress’s plans for the future were only just beginning.
