Translator: Nox

Chapter 38

38.

‘I just want to know who I’m meeting.’

If she knew, she could at least prepare herself mentally.

However, the cold atmosphere radiating from the head maid kept Lobelin from opening her mouth.

Well, it was bound to be either the Emperor or the Empress.

While she was wondering which one it would be, the head maid stopped in front of a massive door.

“I have one piece of advice for you before we enter the inner chambers.”

Standing before the door, the head maid turned back to Lobelin with a strict, icy gaze.

“You must answer Her Majesty the Empress’s questions without a single word of falsehood.”

“Ah, yes… so it is Her Majesty the Empress….”

Only then did Lobelin learn the identity of the person who had summoned her.

‘Is it a relief that it’s not the Emperor?’

Even Viscount Dines had only met the Emperor in private a handful of times.

Yet his daughter, Lobelin, was to face the Emperor directly? And over a scandal with the Crown Prince, of all things?

She recalled how the Emperor was depicted in the original novel as a man obsessed with power and wealth—the type who had forced Ian to marry Cornelia just to cover the costs of fire damages.

‘Considering that, is the Empress actually better?’

Of course, she couldn’t be sure about that either.

Though she was rarely mentioned in the original, according to Ian, she was a merciless woman who would slap him even when he was a child.

Moreover, she went around pretending to be a wonderful mother to the public.

‘I really have no idea what she’s going to say.’

Lobelin let out a long sigh inwardly and then tightly gripped her skirts.

If she couldn’t predict what would happen, she decided she should at least keep her wits about her.

After all, her goal for today was to return home safely.

In the meantime, the head maid moved again and knocked on the door to the Empress’s inner chamber.

“Your Majesty, I have brought Lady Dines.”

“Come in.”

At the Empress’s stern voice, the chamber door slowly opened.

Lobelin reflexively held her breath.

She felt overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the room—the ornate ceiling paintings, the walls packed with decorations, and the dazzling furniture.

The Empress, Carola Heriot, was sitting leisurely at a tea table set in the middle of the room.

“Welcome, Lady Dines.”

“I… I greet Her Majesty the Empress.”

Lobelin hurriedly lowered her head in a bow.

A faint smile touched the Empress’s lips as she looked at her.

“Now, let’s dispense with the formalities. Come and sit. I have much to say to you.”

The Empress gestured toward a seat.

A teacup and refreshments had already been prepared for Lobelin at the table.

As she sat down opposite her, the head maid expertly poured tea into her cup.

Steam rose from the freshly brewed red tea.

The Empress gracefully lifted her teacup.

“Drink. I prepared this specifically for you, milady.”

“Ah, yes, yes! Thank you!”

At the Empress’s words, Lobelin hurriedly picked up her cup.

However, she was so tense that she couldn’t taste or smell the tea at all.

Carola observed Lobelin in silence.

After sipping her tea for a while, Carola set the cup down on its saucer.

“I assume you’ve seen the newspapers, so you must know. The Imperial Palace has been quite noisy lately because of that matter.”

‘Here it comes.’

The real conversation had finally begun. Lobelin swallowed hard, her nerves on edge.

The Empress’s face remained expressionless as she stared at her.

The gaze felt as though it were asking how someone like her dared to associate with the Imperial Family, causing a cold sweat to break out on Lobelin’s back.

“The Dines Viscounty currently has no territory. Is that not so?”

“Ah, yes. That is correct….”

Lobelin felt even more diminished by the sudden question.

She was well aware that the Dines family was insignificant.

After all, that was where Lobelin’s inferiority complex had started in the original novel.

‘So she’s telling me to know my place.’

No matter how much she might dislike Ian, the Empress might not be able to stand a woman like Lobelin being close to the Imperial Family without knowing her station.

At that thought, Lobelin’s head bowed even lower.

“Hmph, love is quite a remarkable thing, isn’t it?”

“……Pardon?”

But at Carola’s next words, Lobelin’s head snapped back up.

Carola was slowly swirling her teacup, staring directly at Lobelin.

Contrary to what Lobelin had expected, the Empress’s lips were curled into a smile.

“Sometimes it blinds people, and sometimes it makes them make foolish choices. Only love can make someone recklessly throw away everything they have. Don’t you agree?”

Carola spoke in a dreamy voice.

In that moment, her gaze seemed fixed not on Lobelin, but on something else entirely.

After being lost in thought for a moment, she lifted her cup again and took a sip.

“His Majesty the Emperor has ordered the Crown Prince to hasten his engagement because of this matter. It seems he urged him to choose between the Bennett and Spencer families immediately.”

“…….”

“But Ian refused.”

Lobelin found herself unable to respond to that.

It was true that she had been secretly happy when Ian said he wouldn’t get engaged.

“So His Majesty is currently in a great rage. I suppose it’s natural to be angry when someone kicks away such favorable conditions as the Bennetts or the Spencers. Wouldn’t you agree? From anyone’s perspective, Ian is being reckless this time.”

Carola’s voice grew lower.

Lobelin’s body shrank back even further, feeling as though she were being blamed.

She felt she should say something, but she couldn’t find the words.

She couldn’t exactly apologize for making things end up this way.

If she admitted fault, it might make things even more difficult for Ian.

“……Milady.”

“Ah, yes!”

As Carola set her teacup down with a sharp clack , Lobelin flinched.

Seeing this, a chilling smile spread across Carola’s lips.

“But am I not Ian’s mother? If I do not protect that child, who will?”

A look of bewilderment flashed across Lobelin’s face.

Those words were completely different from the cold attitude Ian had described.

‘What? I thought the Empress hated Ian?’

Lobelin was confused.

Still, to grasp the Empress’s intentions, she decided to hide her expression as much as possible and listen quietly.

However, her composure didn’t last long.

“Milady, to get straight to the point, please continue to see Ian.”

“……Pardon?”

Lobelin’s head jerked up at the unexpected response.

To her surprise, Carola was looking at her with a gentle smile.

Facing a kind expression she had never anticipated, Lobelin couldn’t even begin to guess Carola’s true motives.

“Your Majesty, I don’t understand what you mean….”

“Did I not say? I want to help you and Ian.”

“…….”

Lobelin blinked her eyes in shock.

She had thought she’d be lucky if she didn’t have tea thrown in her face, let alone be offered a bribe.

And yet, she wanted to help?

‘What on earth is going on?’

Setting down her teacup, the Empress leaned slightly toward Lobelin.

Her inexplicable kindness made Lobelin even more confused.

“So, be honest with me. What exactly is the relationship between you and Ian?”

“T-that is….”

Lobelin was momentarily at a loss for words.

How should she define her relationship with Ian?

Of course, they weren’t secret lovers like the newspapers claimed.

But they weren’t exactly the same as his relationship with Cornelia or Brian, either.

“His Highness and I are simply ‘good friends.’”

“Hmm, ‘friends’….”

In the end, Lobelin chose the most ambiguous answer.

Hearing this, Carola thought for a moment and then gave a bright smile.

“Then continue that ‘good’ relationship. Preferably in places where many people can see you.”

“……What?”

“If the rumors continue to spread, His Majesty will eventually have no choice but to accept it, won’t he?”

Hearing the Empress’s words, Lobelin finally realized her true intentions.

‘This woman… she wants Ian to lose the Emperor’s favor.’

The Carola before her truly wore the expression of a benevolent mother worried for her son.

To an outsider, it was convincing enough to be deceptive.

However, Lobelin knew that the Empress had tried to kill Cornelia just to keep Ian in check.

The fact that such a woman was welcoming Lobelin was by no means a positive thing.

‘She actually likes it because the Dines family is insignificant. If Ian gets entangled with someone like me, the Emperor will be even more disappointed.’

Since her parents were always abroad and couldn’t act as a shield, how easy she would be to manipulate.

It was a truly insulting treatment for Lobelin.

But Carola, unconcerned, reached out and took Lobelin’s hand.

“I am saying this for the sake of the Crown Prince and you, milady. You understand my heart, don’t you?”

“…….”

The hand holding hers was incredibly cold.

That icy temperature felt like a warning never to trust the Empress’s words.

Staring blankly at that pale, white hand, Lobelin found herself unable to say anything at all.

.