Chapter 6
6
Despite it not being midwinter, the cold wind blowing from outside sent shivers down Maria's spine. When she first entered the Imperial Palace, she had received the blessings and glory of the world, but now, as she left, she was falsely accused of treason.
Just then, someone tugged at Maria's sleeve. Maria slowly turned her head to see Nancy, her eyes filled with tears.
"Empress, isn't that what love is? Something so precious that you would do anything, even give your life?"
'Nonsense!'
Maria coldly shook off Nancy's hand from her sleeve.
'If that's the case, then you could kill your parents and children for love.'
Blind love could never be justified. Maria felt nauseous at Nancy's attempt to seek her understanding. It was probably just a petty selfishness to alleviate the guilt of betraying her mistress.
'Who can I blame? It's my own foolishness for considering a girl like you a confidante.'
Maria didn't want to see Nancy's face any longer. Her betrayal had led to the horrific deaths of her parents.
'Nancy, you damned girl! You will become very miserable because of your delusion.'
Even she, who had never deeply loved Henry, was finding it this difficult. As Maria turned away with a flushed face, Gunther put his arm around her shoulder, as if to say, "Don't look back anymore."
Gunther approached the carriage with black curtains, opened the door, and carefully lifted Maria into it.
"!"
Maria had expected Gunther to ride separately on horseback, but he sat across from her.
'He's riding in the same carriage?'
Even in that situation, Gunther's gaze was intense and very complex.
'Who is that man? He looks familiar.'
People called him "Gunther Paisley." She couldn't understand why he was being so persistent with her.
'Ah! A hostage.'
She seemed to understand the situation roughly, but the memories in her head were like tangled threads that wouldn't unravel. Gunther Paisley seemed to be a famous person, but she had no information about him. If she had seen Gunther before, she wouldn't have forgotten a man with such a strong presence. All that remained in her mind were the fierce battles with Henry and the horrific deaths of her parents. And Nancy's cruel betrayal was very clear.
Finally, the carriage carrying Maria, escorted by Helland soldiers, was leaving the Imperial Palace.
"Maria Stuart, the traitor, to the guillotine!"
"Expel the Empress, a vain creature who drains the national treasury!"
"She spent money from the Helland barbarians on luxuries and couldn't repay it, so she's being dragged away like that."
The shouts of the people were clearly audible to Maria. She hurriedly tried to pull back the black curtain covering the window, but Gunther's rough hand stopped her.
"Don't listen to fabricated lies."
Gunther's words were short and firm. But she had once been the Empress of Lastonia. She had never made a mistake in state affairs and had always done her best. That's why she wanted to see how people were evaluating her.
Maria gently pushed Gunther's hand away and opened the curtain. The sight that greeted her turned her sky-blue eyes a desperate shade of gray. The crowds had gathered and were burning straw dolls made in her likeness, while others were hanging them by ropes from long poles and shaking them. The dolls even had cloths fluttering with the words "Corrupt Empress who indulges in luxury."
"Maria Stuart, the Witch who tried to assassinate the Emperor, fall into hell!"
"A wicked woman who indulges in luxury and vanity, shamelessly prostituting herself with men."
"They say she can't have children because of a terrible venereal disease."
"Annihilate the Stuart family!"
Maria's heart broke once again. The sight of people believing and spreading fabricated lies as if they were the truth was shocking. Maria realized through a harrowing experience that defeat in a power struggle came with a harsh price. In the end, the justification for the fight was tailored to the victor's taste.
"The deposed Empress is in that carriage!"
Thud-thud—stones began to fly. That's probably why Gunther had covered the outside of the carriage with a thick black curtain, anticipating that this would happen. Maria wrapped her arms around herself and trembled. It wasn't just because she felt wronged and angry. Something cold and indescribable was tearing at her insides.
'No! It's all lies!'
Maria clutched her head and sobbed silently. She wanted to scream and wail, but she couldn't even do that. Her efforts as the Empress of Lastonia were being completely denied. The betrayal that had been tearing at her insides was now mangling her soul. Gunther simply watched Maria writhe in pain without a word.
* * *
Laurent stormed up to Henry, fuming.
"Your Majesty, what is this woman?"
She pointed at Nancy, furious. She had given birth to the prince he so desired, and now he had impregnated the Empress's maid. She was blinded by betrayal and jealousy towards Henry.
"Laurent, Nancy is..."
Henry looked back and forth between Nancy and Laurent with a troubled expression.
"I'm upset, Your Majesty!"
Laurent whimpered in a nasal tone.
"I know, I know. My Laurent is upset. Don't worry. I'll take care of everything soon."
"Get her out of here. She's the deposed Empress's favorite, isn't she?"
"Not favorite, confidante."
"Whatever."
Laurent shouted, her voice strained.
"Those who were close to the deposed Empress are unlucky. We have to get rid of them all."
Still not appeased, Laurent approached Nancy and whispered in her ear.
"Get out of the palace before I stomp on your belly."
"!"
Nancy was startled by Laurent's threat. She acted like a slightly dim-witted woman in front of Henry, but she threatened her in very clear Lastonian. At that moment, Monica gave Henry a strange look.
"As expected, our Emperor is wise."
She began to recite the reasons why Henry wanted to keep Nancy by his side. It was a theory that he had used Nancy to check Maria and win the power struggle with the Stuart family.
"We all know that, right?"
Laurent looked at Monica with a dumbfounded expression. Such a simple reason didn't need to be stated.
"Laurent, the reason you were able to seize the opportunity to become the next Empress of Lastonia is thanks to that child. This time, you should understand His Majesty."
Monica whispered in Laurent's ear in a low voice, saying that Henry had no choice but to use Nancy as a tool to get rid of Maria. Laurent's distorted face then relaxed. Henry didn't miss that moment and nodded at Laurent, acknowledging that this whole situation was a grand scheme he had designed. At the same time, he took Nancy's hand and whispered sweetly to her as well.
"Nancy, you have done a great service."
"Your Majesty."
Nancy only saw Henry. Whatever Monica and Laurent were saying, or how they regarded her, didn't matter. All that mattered was that the Emperor was looking at her now.
* * *
It felt like her body was burning in the rising flames. Moreover, the screams of the people felt like they were tearing her ears apart. The corpses of her father and mother hung on that gate. Maria ran through the middle of the flames.
'Father, Mother!'
Maria writhed in pain as if her heart was burning. Soon, Henry appeared with a sword and began to mutilate the bodies of her parents.
'No! Stop!'
No matter how much she tried to stop him, Henry committed atrocities as if he were a demon possessed. Maria woke up from her dream, sobbing bitterly.
"!"
Still in the carriage, it seemed like they had been driving for a long time after passing through the capital... Gunther was gone from his seat. He must have been taking a break. Maria opened the curtain slightly. Golden twilight was setting beneath the cliff.
'Is it now?'
A chill ran through her bones, and deep despair consumed Maria. Just then, a strand of hair fell onto her shoulder. Maria's eyes widened as she glanced at the hair.
'Gray.'
Her hair was originally gold, but she didn't know why it had turned gray. There were also many white hairs. Maria stared at her face reflected in the window. The changed hair, the pale face like a corpse, the lost memories and voice. That was her reality. Perhaps the pain inside her had manifested in her hair. But it felt like a divine revelation. At that moment, she heard a hallucination.
'Maria. My beloved daughter.'
'Mother!'
Maria got out of the carriage and ran after the voice calling her. Her gray hair fluttered aimlessly in the wind blowing from the cliff.
'Father, Mother. Please take me with you!'
She ran, looking only ahead, until she was out of breath. A little further and she would reach the edge of the cliff. If she could just throw her body into the void, she could escape this terrible reality. The reason her parents' voices were leading her now must be a revelation. Now was the chance to be together. Just then, she heard a thunderous male voice.
"Maria!"
His voice overwhelmed the sound of the wind. A man in Crimson Armor, riding a horse, charged towards Maria.
'Don't chase me. My parents are waiting for me.'
Maria sobbed silently. The man chasing her madly behind her couldn't hear her, but her heart was very earnest. Because she needed rest. She had no more regrets in this life. So she threw herself off the cliff without hesitation.
"Aaaaaah!"
She wanted to die, but a scream came out instinctively. Now she had done it. She could close her eyes in peace without being bound by anyone. As Maria savored the thrill of floating in the air, she saw a single tear scattering in the wind.
'It's all over.'