Chapter 5: It’s Exactly That Person!
In the original story, Fay was a delicate heroine with a pure appearance and a kind heart.
How should I put it? The type of heroine who always forgives the villainess?
Even in unfair situations, she would endure them with grace.
― Actually, all my dresses were ruined not long ago.
The Fay who trembled at the sight of Helena could hardly muster the courage to even speak to her.
― But it’s okay. Even though the culprit wasn’t caught, His Majesty gave me such a beautiful dress because of it. I almost want to thank them.
…Right. That was how it went in the original.
But am I the only one finding this strange?
Fay had acted as though she didn’t know about the rumors when she spoke to me.
Not only did she nonchalantly show off her dress, but she also said the culprit hadn’t been caught.
And yet.
― I told you the Empress was the one who ruined all your dresses.
― Oh, but I don’t mind. His Majesty bought me a new dress because of it.
It seemed she already knew everything from Jerome.
Why did she pretend not to know?
At this point, I was confused.
Was she so understanding that she could forgive me while pretending ignorance? Or was she sweetly plotting something behind the scenes?
It was a bizarre feeling.
Could she have done it on purpose?
If so, that’s honestly terrifying…
At that moment, a voice echoed my thoughts.
“Oh my, oh my. Isn’t it chilling?”
“How can someone be so brazen?”
“It’s not proper to hold prejudices about someone’s background, but this time it’s truly unforgivable.”
Huh?
The maids’ reactions seemed unusual.
“Didn’t something like this happen before? Smiling while badmouthing Her Majesty the Empress?”
Excuse me?
Who’s badmouthing who?
“Oh, yes, I remember. And did you see how her expression completely changed when His Majesty arrived?”
“She acts so innocent!”
I-Innocent?
Bewildered, I asked,
“So, are you all talking about the Imperial Consort?”
“Of course. Who else here could be so unsettling?”
The maids nodded as if it were obvious.
Um…
Considering I’m the one who orchestrated all this stalking of the emperor, I might be unsettling too.
But that wasn’t the issue right now.
The maids’ impression of the heroine was so vastly different from what I’d seen in the original story.
“I thought she was supposed to be very delicate?”
“Pardon? Her? No, not at all.”
“She isn’t?”
“If she’s delicate, I must be a walking hospital!”
The response was unusually strong.
“But isn’t she supposed to be innocent and humble, despite her commoner background?”
“If she’s innocent, then I must be a fool!”
A fool? Isn’t that going too far?
The maids then added with a look of frustration,
“Of course, most people think that about her, just as you said, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, one look at that sweet smile, and everyone falls for it!”
What is this?
I barely held on to my sanity as my thoughts raced.
First, Jerome was acting strange. Now, Fay?
Both of them felt so different from the original story I knew.
Could it be that there were parts of the story that hadn’t been shown?
Or maybe my presence here had changed things…
I was lost in thought when a trembling voice interrupted me.
“Your Majesty…”
It was Marie.
Her eyes filled with tears, and it seemed like she might cry at any moment.
Now that I thought about it, she was the one who had ruined Fay’s dress.
“Because of me, Your Majesty has suffered such humiliation…”
“There’s no need to feel sorry. I’m fine.”
“But…”
“It’s already in the past. I don’t mind.”
I took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears.
There were gasps of surprise from the maids, but I ignored them.
What’s so strange about the Empress wiping a maid’s tears?
Not long ago, I was just an ordinary citizen myself.
“Your Majesty…”
Marie, who had been quietly accepting my comfort, suddenly looked resolute.
Then, as if she’d made a decision, she said,
“I’ve always been afraid of you.”
“Is that so?”
Well, that was understandable.
Helena did have a fiery personality.
She’d lived her whole life without caring about others’ opinions, always doing and taking what she wanted.
It made sense for Marie, her maid, to be afraid of her.
“But now I realize I was mistaken all this time.”
No, you weren’t mistaken.
Helena really was a terrible person.
“I’ve made up my mind. From now on, I’ll truly follow Your Majesty with all my heart—for life!”
Marie clenched her fists as she declared this.
“If you tell me to live, I’ll live. If you tell me to die, I’ll die!”
With that, Marie knelt before me.
I hurriedly stopped her.
“You shouldn’t kneel so easily in front of others. Stand up.”
“I just wanted to show you my sincerity.”
“I understand your feelings, so please stand up. And don’t say things like ‘I’ll die’ so lightly.”
“If it weren’t for Your Majesty protecting me, I’d already be dead. My life is yours to command.”
“You did what you did for my sake, didn’t you? So there’s no need to feel grateful.”
Now, get up.
I extended my hand and helped Marie to her feet.
She was still so young to have gone through such hardships.
I’d heard she was even caring for three younger siblings.
Not to mention the countless misdeeds Helena had committed over the years.
This was a girl who shed tears just from a few kind words.
Overcome with an unfamiliar sense of sympathy, I gently patted her head with a soft gaze.
“If you ever have a hard time, come to me anytime.”
As I comforted Marie and looked up, I noticed the other maids watching with expressions of awe and admiration.
Their gazes made me feel slightly embarrassed.
If I stayed silent any longer, another awkward situation might unfold.
I had to redirect the attention quickly.
Fortunately, there was a perfect excuse.
“Come to think of it, there was talk of an intruder. Since His Majesty suggested leaving this place, it would be wise to return to the Empress’ Palace quickly.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
With that, I led the maids and started walking.
For some reason, their careful steps behind me felt oddly reassuring.
***
The rumor about the intruder turned out to be true.
In no time, the once-serene garden was swarming with soldiers and knights.
Security had tightened, with checkpoints set up at every corner.
The tense atmosphere alone hinted at the gravity of the situation.
What puzzled me was how nonchalant the maids were.
I turned to Countess Chloe and asked,
“Does this sort of thing happen often?”
“Are you referring to intruders in the palace, Your Majesty?”
“Yes. It seems like a serious situation, but none of you seem particularly alarmed.”
“It’s not frequent, but it does happen from time to time.”
Before I could respond, Marie gasped in shock.
“There are people who dare to intrude into the palace? Shouldn’t we hurry to the safety of the Empress’ Palace?”
“Lady Marie must still be adjusting to palace life,” Countess Chloe said in a calm tone.
“There’s no need to be tense. Most intrusions are cases of people losing their way or acting out of curiosity.”
“But what if it’s someone with ill intent?”
“Even in such cases, there’s no need to worry. The palace is guarded by some of the most skilled knights.”
“Knights?”
Marie’s eyes sparkled with interest.
Watching her like this, it was clear she was still a young girl.
“I’ve heard the royal knights are both impressive and admirable.”
“Are you curious about them?”
“Of course. Whenever young ladies gather, we often talk about the knights.”
Marie eagerly began sharing stories.
This knight performed a remarkable feat, that knight accomplished an incredible task.
She listed the achievements of several knights before clasping her hands together.
“But the most famous of them all is none other than that person!”
Her voice rose with excitement.
“For example, protecting an isolated village from monsters or cutting down an ancient tree that no one else could.”
“Those must have been his exploits before becoming the knight commander.”
“There are many more stories, but the most famous one is about the time he pursued a high-ranking monster for two days and nights to rescue a child from an orphanage.”
“That account isn’t quite accurate.”
“What? It’s not true?”
“It’s true that he rescued the child. But the monster wasn’t alone—there were five high-ranking monsters.”
“Five? I’ve heard that just one high-ranking monster is enough to require the full strength of a region’s knight order!”
“That’s exactly why he’s so extraordinary.”
“I see…”
“That’s why you can rest easy. As long as he’s the knight commander, the palace is absolutely secure.”
Countess Chloe’s face glowed with pride as she recounted the knight commander’s exploits to Marie.
Whoever he was, he must truly be a formidable figure.
A knight commander who defeated high-ranking monsters…
Now that she mentioned it, I recalled reading about such a character in the book.
The empire’s greatest swordsman, possessing profound knowledge and unyielding determination.
A mysterious man.
His first appearance had been quite dramatic.
When the heroine accidentally fell from the third-floor balcony during a banquet, he appeared like the wind.
He caught her effortlessly as she fell…
Suddenly—
Crash—!
A deafening noise erupted above.
Startled, I instinctively looked up.
Across the clear blue sky, a dark figure darted like a hawk.
What? Is that… a person?
From a shattered third-floor window, two people were leaping out.
One of them, a man draped in a red cape, caught my attention.
Boom—!
The two figures collided violently as they landed in the fountain.
The once-beautiful fountain was now gone, replaced by utter destruction.
A masterpiece of art had been reduced to rubble.
From the wreckage, a dark figure slowly rose.
Tall and imposing.
Cool and unyielding eyes.
His water-soaked uniform clung to his body, revealing a tightly sculpted physique beneath.
And then, the other figure.
Dressed in black from head to toe, with a masked face.
Even at a glance, the figure exuded suspicion, flailing beneath the man’s foot.
The maids around me screamed in alarm at the sight of the struggling figure.
But the man standing over him remained unnervingly calm.
Schling—.
He unsheathed his sword.
With precision, the blade drove into the intruder’s chest.
Thunk!
There was no hesitation.
Dark red blood spurted out like a fountain.
The blood that gushed from the intruder’s chest stained his face, his hair, and his uniform in crimson.
“Ah…”
It was then that I realized.
The cape draped over his shoulder had originally been blue.
A chill ran down my spine.
Yet, despite the chilling scene, I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
Drenched—not only in water but now also in blood—his dark hair clung to his face.
Beneath it, his piercing blue eyes glowed with an eerie light.
The once-elegant fountain was now gone.
But in its place stood something even more striking.
A masterpiece as if crafted by the gods themselves.
A man as beautiful as a sculpture, shrouded in a dangerous red aura.
It was a scene so shocking, so vivid, that it would remain forever etched in my memory.
The man wiped the blood from his lips with a rough hand.
A faint, languid smile spread across his face, tinted in crimson.
—
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