Chapter 5
Chapter 5
As Gunther exited the bedroom carrying Maria in his arms, the courtiers buzzed with whispers. Soon, the Red Army flanked them on either side, and Henry, Monica, and the State Minister, having heard the news, hurried after them.
"I'm taking Maria," Gunther announced to Henry.
"That is impossible. Maria Stuart is a traitor. A criminal who will soon be hanged."
Henry refused to back down any further. He had heard about the connection between Maria and Gunther and had considered using it to his advantage, but it hadn't worked. There was no reason to let Maria be taken away in this situation. Otherwise, the forces loyal to the Duke's family might stage a rebellion in the future. He had learned that things should be finished cleanly when they occurred to avoid future problems.
But was that woman out of her mind? Maria, in Gunther's arms, did not seem normal. She didn't even seem to realize whose arms she was in. Maria, of all people, who valued formality and propriety more than anyone.
'She's not right.'
"Then will the Emperor go as a hostage?"
"What?"
Henry was startled by Gunther's unexpected words. Taking him as a hostage? More precisely, as collateral for a debt.
"Choose. Either the Emperor goes, or you give Maria as a hostage."
That meant that if he gave Maria as a hostage, the repayment period would be extended.
"We can't just let this pass with vague words. It must be recorded in an official document."
The State Ministers began to chime in with their opinions.
"My word is my promise."
However, Gunther rejected their complicated procedures outright.
"...Then how long will you extend it?"
Henry asked, cautiously watching Gunther's expression. He wondered how much value Maria held for Gunther.
"One year."
'Only one year? Well, Maria isn't a great beauty. Nor does she have any charm to captivate men. She's just tall.'
"One year? Very well... I will repay the debt I owe you without fail in one year. And I will bring Maria back as well, so be warned."
Gunther did not respond to Henry's words.
"Let's go."
At Gunther's command, the army escorting him moved again. It was then. Maria, who had been in Gunther's arms the whole time, suddenly struggled and reached out to someone.
"Nan...cy."
Maria kept looking for someone, and Gunther realized it was Nancy. But the atmosphere was strange. Until now, or rather, for a very long time, Nancy had moved like Maria's right hand, but why was she standing next to Henry, not moving an inch?
Gunther lowered Maria from his arms as she wished. Maria immediately approached Nancy and took her hand. Even in her mentally unstable state, her instinct to take care of her people seemed to remain.
"You follow Maria as well."
Gunther spoke for her, as she was unable to speak for herself. But Nancy only shed tears and couldn't say anything. Even as Maria kept pulling her hand, she didn't move, as if her feet were stuck to the ground.
"Empress, I can't go."
Nancy sobbed, looking at Maria.
"...?"
Maria stopped struggling violently only after hearing Nancy's voice. No, the focus returned to her hazy eyes, and she stared intently at Nancy.
"I'm sorry. I'm pregnant."
Nancy managed to utter the words with great difficulty. She didn't know how much effort it took to say this. But she realized that people's lives don't go as planned because of her.
[Nancy, at least you stay by my side.]
[Your... Majesty!]
It started with a word from Henry, who was drunk. A person she could not dare to covet, yet that person kept calling her name. The feeling for him grew like a snowball, and breaking her loyalty to Maria was truly a moment's decision.
[Tell me what plans Maria is making.]
[Your Majesty, can't you talk to the Empress?]
[It's all over once you and I know each other.]
So she did as he told her. It was painful, but she betrayed Maria and took Henry's hand. She realized through herself how fickle people's hearts could be.
'Pregnant?'
Maria wandered in her muddled consciousness until Nancy's voice briefly cleared her mind. But Nancy was pregnant. She thought she didn't have a man. Just as Maria's doubts deepened, Nancy moved closer to Henry.
"!"?
"I'm carrying Your Majesty's child."
Soon, Nancy's tearful, pure love poured out like a burst dam. She had loved Henry for exactly three years since Maria became Empress and had been in a secret relationship. Since then, Henry had been the only man for her, and she loved him so much that she could give her life for him even now. At that moment, one thought flashed through Maria's mind.
[Nancy, did you contact my father?]
[Yes...? Of course.]
Maria had previously informed her family through Nancy. She told them to be fully prepared in case Henry's soldiers stormed in. She told them never to respond even if the Emperor waved his flag and urged them to open the gates. But it seemed that Nancy had sent the opposite message to her family. Furthermore, she must have informed Henry of her plans in advance.
'Could it be...!'
Maria couldn't believe it, even though the calculations were already finished in her head. Nancy was someone who had been like a sister to her since childhood. But how could she betray her?
"Empress! Please forgive me."
Nancy knelt before Maria and sobbed. She said that she loved Henry too much and had no choice because of the baby in her womb.
'Nancy, you are so foolish. Why do you resemble your foolish mistress so much that you bring about tragedy?'
She had clearly seen the relationship between Henry and Laurent, yet she didn't learn anything from it. Maria trembled like an aspen and cried. There were so many things she wanted to say, but there weren't many things that she could control. Still, Nancy's betrayal was as painful as cutting out her heart. Even when Henry had an affair with Laurent, it didn't hurt as much as it did now.
"Nancy, come here."
As Henry reached out to Nancy, she cried and went to him.
'Innocent Nancy.'
The reason he's trying to keep you is not love, but to use you as a tool. But Nancy will only realize it after being deceived by her own absurd emotions. She hoped that she would realize that what she sees and feels is not everything.
"She's a much better woman than you. And she has my child."
Henry deliberately stroked Nancy's belly as if to show off. At that moment, Maria collapsed on the spot. It wasn't because she was shocked or saddened by Henry's words.
'I've wasted my life.'
It was the moment when her life as the Empress of Lastonia, where she had worked tirelessly, was completely denied. Was it true that good and righteous people are rewarded? She realized too late that the world is a place where you are treated like a pushover and betrayed if you show love and kindness to others.
Maria bowed her head on the spot and wept silently. The reason she didn't make a loud noise was because of the last bit of pride she had left. After some time, Maria staggered to her feet. Maria ignored Henry and Nancy and walked towards the door, with Gunther by her side. All she could hear behind her was Nancy's faint sobbing.
"Don't worry. I will protect you."
At that moment, Gunther took Maria's hand. Only then did she properly look at the red-haired man holding her hand. The Dragon Mask. Who on earth was this man? Her memories were so jumbled that she couldn't remember at all. But what did it matter? What did it matter if someone took her away and killed her? She was just sorry to her parents for surviving. Maria was just about to pass through the gates of the Imperial Palace when she suddenly stopped and turned back.
"Don't look back. It's the past."
Despite Gunther's words, Maria stared at Henry and Nancy, who were looking at her from afar. Then she slowly walked back towards them.
"Maria!"
Maria didn't stop walking even as Gunther called out. Instead, she walked faster and stood in front of Henry. Then she tried to calm her chest, which was heaving with excitement. Maria silently stared at Henry for a while before slowly taking his right hand.
"Maria..."
Henry was shaken by Maria's complex emotions. A woman he didn't love as much as before, but a woman he couldn't completely hate in one corner of his heart. It was probably a little bit of old affection. That's why she was holding his hand and looking at him so affectionately.
Maria gently kissed Henry's right palm. The hall buzzed with whispers. Given the situation, it wouldn't be enough for Maria to curse Henry as a bastard, but she was showing the image of a wife begging for her last affection. Before she knew it, Maria took out the pen she had been carrying and began to write something on Henry's palm.
<Wait, I will surely bring Divine punishment upon you. You murderer.>
Maria wrote her last feelings on his palm with the pen Liberio had given her, then calmly took the pen and slowly backed away.
Henry trembled with his right hand. He felt a sudden surge of guilt in one corner of his heart because she had approached him with a sad face, kissed his hand, and told him to wait. He had forgotten for a moment. Maria Stuart was a woman who would never bow down to a man, a hateful woman who would rather die than think she was the best and right.
"Damn it!"
Henry tried to erase the writing on his hand by wetting it with saliva, but it was no use. Maria ignored Henry's annoyance and walked towards the door.