Chapter 113
#113. The Last Chance for Someone (2)
Maria Etel groaned. The soft texture of the blanket on the bed made her tense body relax a little.
Her tear-filled vision gradually cleared. The pattern on the ceiling and the canopy lace at the head of the bed were different from those in Leopold's bedroom.
She had no idea how she had gotten to the next room, to the bed.
The chamberlain, who had come only after she had called for a long time, seemed to think that laying her on the bed was the end of his duty, and his attitude was indifferent.
"I will summon the Imperial Physician."
She heard the sound of the door closing. Maria Etel, who had been holding her breath to hide her disheveled face, curled up, swallowing her sobs.
Was she supposed to be grateful that they were at least calling the Imperial Physician? Lately, most of her maids had been ignoring her orders.
She stroked her flat stomach. She felt a faint pain and bit her lip.
She had never felt such pain before. No, this miserable situation itself was a first.
Where had it all gone wrong?
A bitter smile came to her lips at the self-pitying question. Maria Etel closed her eyes. Everything was a mess. Her father, imprisoned; her brothers, struggling to run a merchant guild with all operations paralyzed; the ladies who had adored her; and…….
"Is it because of you that Olivia left me? Or is it because of me?"
Maria shook her head violently and squeezed her eyes shut. Even amidst the throbbing in her head, Leopold's voice, like a lingering ember, did not disappear.
If she had known this would happen, she would have listened to her nanny. Maria Etel repeated the regret she had felt throughout her confinement in the Crown Prince's Palace.
"My lady, do not trust His Highness the Crown Prince too much. Even the most exalted of men is still just a man."
These were the words her nanny had spoken every night when she had a date with Leopold.
"Nanny, Leopold is different. Don't you know how much he loves me? Even today, he abandoned his fiancée, the Princess, and came to me."
It was too vulgar a thing to say to a noble Marquess's daughter, but Maria Etel remembered these words because of what followed.
"But my lady, the most certain thing is not a man's love, but a secure heir. You know that, my lady."
Her nanny was right. A man's love was nothing but a pipe dream. If only she hadn't dismissed it then and had listened to her nanny…….
"If only I had an heir……."
The soft sob was cut short. It was only for a moment that a flash of light passed over Maria Etel's blue eyes, which were filled with tears.
Could it be, could it be…….
Maria Etel instinctively wrapped her arms around her stomach. Come to think of it, the last time she had her period was……!
Joy spread in her blue eyes. The one thing she had always regretted was now miraculously happening. When was it? It felt like a long time since Leopold had touched her with affection.
No, now was not the time to dwell on that.
Everything suddenly made sense. The pain she was feeling for the first time, her poor health, her strange feelings. All the clues were scattered around her, so much so that she wondered why she hadn't noticed them sooner.
During the days she had spent in the Crown Prince's Palace, being despised, she had thought that she should have conceived a precious child long ago. She had begged, even now, please, the more Leopold didn't love her, the more she begged.
Now, the pulse in her belly would restore her to a noble position in this Imperial Palace.
"The Imperial Physician has arrived."
At the knock-knock- sound, Maria, who had carelessly agreed to let them in, hardened her expression.
No matter how much she had a trump card, this situation was entirely unfavorable to her. The forces trying to promote Olivia as Crown Princess Consort were strong, and the Princess hated her, and…….
Her mind, working furiously, was filled with ways to make a brilliant comeback. At the same time, Maria shook her head as she looked at the Imperial Physician entering.
"It's all right."
"Yes?"
"Thank you for coming. But I feel better after resting a bit, so I don't think I need a separate examination."
Maria Etel's elegant appearance was no more than that of an ordinary lady. That was why the maid who followed her in was even more flustered. Surely Maria Etel in the past few days, no, even just a moment ago, she was…….
"Yes? But you said you were feeling unwell just a moment ago……."
"I said it's all right!"
The sharp shout was exactly like the Maria Etel of the past, who had been so confident and loved. The maid bowed her head to the Imperial Physician at her appearance, which had returned to what it had been weeks ago in just a few minutes.
Only when the Imperial Physician left with a sigh did Maria Etel finally relax her appearance, as if she were a wary cat with its fur standing on end.
There was no one she could trust in this Imperial Palace. She had to protect herself. She couldn't tell anyone until this strong pulse, which seemed to be throbbing in her palm like a fetal movement, was stable.
And after this was known…….
Maria Etel glared at the doorway. Her venomous gaze was filled with curses for everyone.
* * *
"Really? Maria Etel refused the Imperial Physician's examination?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"How very strange. After all that fuss, suddenly?"
The Empress's reception room in the Imperial Palace.
The Empress's brow furrowed slightly as she looked into the mirror. The maid from the Crown Prince's Palace obediently answered the flow of air that was turning cold as if frost was forming.
"It's suspicious, but she's been acting erratically for the past few days……. I will go back and check again."
Even as she listened to the reply, the Empress's brow did not ease.
Even thick makeup could not hide the dark circles under her eyes, which had become quite gaunt. The Marchioness Ophtem, noticing the Empress's expression, pushed away the maid who was doing her makeup and gently brushed the Empress's eyes with a soft brush.
As a beautiful pink glow returned, the Empress continued.
"……Are you really checking on Maria Etel properly?"
"Of course, Your Majesty. Every hour, every moment, every meal, even the tea. We are checking everything. We plan to call the Imperial Physician again tonight if she just falls into a deep sleep."
At the lowered report, the Empress finally put aside her worries. Then, with a sunken gaze, she looked at one spot and snorted.
"The Princess will be in charge of the final Tea Party at the banquet tomorrow again."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Marchioness Ophtem heard it clearly as well. The words that the Princess's nanny had reported with concern.
The concern was not insignificant. The Empress knew this, so she had prepared everything as she was now.
The Empress smiled softly and drove in a wedge.
"At least make sure that Maria Etel doesn't act up at the farewell ceremony for the Heferti Delegation."
That was what everyone wanted. The maids bowed their heads and replied.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
* * *
"Is there no way!"
Meanwhile, after the final negotiations with Heferti ended.
In the Emperor's office in the Imperial Palace, suppressed anger leaked out. The Chamberlain hurriedly left the office, leaving only Duke Elkin behind.
"Is this even possible? Ha……."
No matter how much he sighed or exhaled in frustration, there was no way to reverse the negotiations. All that remained of the negotiations, which were supposed to bring immense wealth to the Empire, was a mere semblance of honor.
"It was just a negotiation befitting a peace agreement; the Empire merely hopes for Heferti's rapid recovery."
"Thank you. I truly did not know you would show such generous treatment."
At the Grand Duke Bikander's words, the Heferti Delegation openly shed tears. Only the Grand Duke smiled crookedly in that place.
The nobles, thinking of the enormous reparations that should have come to them, sent resentful glances toward the Emperor, and the Heferti Delegation only shed tears of gratitude.
But what made the Emperor shudder was something else.
It was that there was no way for the Emperor to tie down the Grand Duke Bikander anymore.
A regretful groan leaked out from between his clenched teeth.
He had been complacent, thinking that the White Crystal Mine and Grand Duke Bikander would be in his grasp for the rest of his life, and he was now filled with regret. Instead of preparing for the marriage with the Princess, he should have taken more measures.
When the things he thought would be his for thousands of years disappeared between his fingers, the Emperor could not even react and had to suppress his resentful feelings as he was now.
However, he could not secretly approach the White Crystal Mine. The one who had placed the resistance magic on the mine was none other than the Emperor himself.
"I have placed resistance magic on it so that anyone who enters the White Crystal Mine without His Majesty the Emperor's permission will become a dove roasted crisp by lightning."
The confident voice of the magician had now become poison to the Emperor himself.
He was a prisoner, unable to do anything. In this situation, there were two things he could do.
He could pray that the Princess, who resembled the Princess in the eye, would not discover whatever was hidden in the mine. Or he could hope that the Princess, whom he had abandoned as a useless card, would somehow, by any means, retrieve the mine.
Ugh.
But everything was flowing strangely.
The Crown Prince, whom he had trusted, had abandoned the negotiations as if he were out of his mind, the Madeleine Heir did not mediate even though the negotiations were being dragged in a strange direction by Grand Duke Bikander, and above all, Duke Madeleine, who had been the reliable leader of the Imperial Faction…….
"Duke Madeleine seemed to have glued his lips shut today at the opportunity to reverse the negotiations."
"……Watch your tongue, Duke."
He routinely told him to watch his tongue, but Duke Elkin's words were true.
The Emperor shook his head, swallowing his confusion. He could not understand why Duke Madeleine, who had always been loyal, was acting like this.
"But Your Majesty, the Empire's losses due to the war with Heferti are not insignificant. In the meantime, Duke Madeleine is……! I have something to tell you about Duke Madeleine anyway, Your Majesty."
Duke Elkin lowered his voice.
Even though there was no one to hear the story in the office, where only the Emperor and Duke Elkin were alone, Duke Elkin deliberately lowered his voice, hoping that the Emperor would be completely focused on his words.
"……So I hear."
And that wish came true.
"What?"
The Emperor could not hide his confusion and slammed his hand on the desk in the office and stood up. Then, he frowned in anxiety and muttered.
"The Duke and the Heir, even the second child, Lady Madeleine, all took a vacation together? Even though the Heferti Delegation hasn't returned to their country yet?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. It's understandable for the Heir and the Lady, but Duke Madeleine himself applied for a vacation. Isn't this the first time since the Duchess passed away?"
It was an already uneasy time. Duke Elkin's whisper was enough to tip the Emperor to one side. Duke Elkin, noticing the look of concern on the Emperor's face, tried to lower his rising lips and raised his voice.
"Your Majesty, please reconsider your thoughts on Duke Madeleine. Leaving the faction aside, he is not a person who is beneficial to the Empire that Your Majesty is leading."
"Duke, your words are excessive!"
"I am sorry, Your Majesty. But if that is not the case, where is Duke Madeleine now?"
He was caught off guard. The Emperor, who had been furious and defending Duke Madeleine, paused.
The Emperor recalled the back of Duke Madeleine as he hurriedly left the conference room as soon as the negotiations were over. His different appearance from before was clearly highlighted and stirred the Emperor's mind.
"While Your Majesty is worrying about state affairs, where on earth is the Duke, who should be by Your Majesty's side?"
As if widening the gap, Duke Elkin's face was filled with sadness. The Emperor looked at him with a hardened face.
The Empress's brother and a pillar of the Aristocratic Faction. If Duke Madeleine had stood firm, the leader of the Aristocratic Faction would not have had many opportunities for a private audience like this. Duke Elkin took a deep breath as if he had made a firm decision, then knelt before the Emperor.
"No, Duke……!"
The Emperor called out to Duke Elkin as if he were horrified. The Emperor knew better than anyone else that the knee he knelt on as if taking an oath meant submission.
"If what Your Majesty wants is a strong bond with the head family, then I will also offer my family to become Your Majesty's sword."
The Emperor's mind began to calculate rapidly.
He had received reports that the Aristocratic Faction was shaking after Marquis Etel was imprisoned. This submission could not be seen as being solely for the Emperor's sake, but for the sake of the common good, it was not a bad card.
"If you want the Princess even more than that, then I will also take Your Majesty's orders and step forward."
"……What exactly are you going to do, Duke?"
At the question that fell as if testing him, Duke Elkin's lips slowly rose.
"Didn't the Grand Duke Bikander also say that those who are forbidden from entering the Territory of Vikander are, presumptuously, the most noble bloodline and the most exalted people,"
Only then did the Emperor recall the words that the Grand Duke Bikander had said on the first day of the banquet. When he said that someone's entry into the Territory of Vikander was forbidden, the people he was referring to were the Imperial Family and…….
"……That it is a member of the Madeleine Dukedom."
Duke Elkin bowed his head to the Emperor, kneeling on one knee on the floor as if prostrating himself.
"So, as I said, I will meet the Princess and bring her to the Imperial Palace."
The leader of the Aristocratic Faction lowered his body, and the Emperor's eyes sparkled coldly as he looked at him.
