Canary crouched on the floor, tears falling drop by drop.
“I, I...”
To be treated like this...
The words she couldn’t bring herself to say were swallowed up by her sobs.
Canary’s eyes bulged like a carp, tears falling pitter-patter.
She couldn’t control her emotions.
Tears welled up to the tip of her tongue, seemingly consuming her.
Even breathing felt difficult.
Barbara swallowed a sigh as she watched Canary.
“Stop crying, Your Majesty. Why did you give it all away yesterday? Hold on.”
“How could you not give it to me when I said so?”
Canary snapped sharply.
Laxus brought a bunch of maids and ransacked Canary’s room. He then gathered up all the jewels Renisha had left behind.
These were the things Canary had desperately gathered.
'W-Why that...? Your Majesty, didn't you say it suited Canary?'
'It suits you. It suits yiu. But, Canary, aren't you the Empress who can't give me anything?'
'B-But?'
'Just because you gave birth to an heir, you, who has nothing, become Empress and walk around wearing these things. What would people say? Oh, Laxus has gone crazy, making a foot-washing maid his Empress and giving her more than she deserves! Wouldn't they be making a fuss about it?'
Laxus's giggling face, speaking in a particularly soft tone, etched itself on her heart like a brand.
Canary's lips trembled.
Her mind felt blank.
'S-So you're saying Canary can't afford any of these luxuries?'
'How much money do you have to buy such extravagance?'
Laxus's mood shifted in an instant.
His sharp, glaring eyes, now glaring at Canary, were filled with a dazzling madness.
'With my own money? When you were my mistress, all I had to do was cherish you. So, I could give you endlessly! I didn't expect anything in return! But you're now Empress, Canary. Do you understand the weight of that position? I prefer to receive from an Empress, not give. Just as Renisha has done so much for me!'
Canary remained silent this time.
Since Canary couldn't give anything, Laxus was determined not to give her anything.
Canary glared at the mess left behind.
Tears kept falling from her large eyes.
Renisha had taken away all those who had been helping her.
It didn't seem likely that the noble ladies who ignored Canary would help her.
Canary chewed her lip.
Now, all that remained in the capital was Turiel.
Canary abruptly rose from her seat.
She felt the need to go see Turiel.
If Turiel had any sense, she wouldn't mistreat Canary, who had the heir.
She was a smart woman, and she would know better who to stand in line for.
Canary called Barbara in a high-pitched voice.
"We should get ready to go out!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Turiel pursed her lips.
Seeing Canary's swollen face as she came to visit her, she couldn't help but laugh.
She wondered if she had really come here.
Canary sniffed and glared at Turiel. She had been acting violently, chasing all the ladies from the dressing room, and now was protesting silently.
The silence was so long that Turiel, who had sat there waiting to hear what was going on, grew tired of it.
Finally, Turiel stopped her pointless tug-of-war and spoke.
"Why have you come here and interrupted my business?"
Although she was using honorifics, her gaze remained dismissive.
Canary held back a groan and shook her head.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt your business. I just have something important to tell you.”
Turiel swallowed a sigh. Judging by her appearance, it was clear that she had been beaten to the punch by Laxus.
How could Laxus, who had sucked every last drop of Renisha’s juices, even look upon Canary?
It was Canary’s fault for taking the position of Empress too lightly.
It wasn’t just a title.
It was leading a nation.
How many things would she have to shoulder?
Canary wasn't built to handle such a thing.
"Say what you want to say."
Turiel feigned ignorance.
Still, judging by her clinging presence, she must have been desperate.
"...It's time for you to think about it, too. I'm pregnant, aren't I? Empress Renisha hasn't borne a child. To plan for the future, wouldn't it be better to hold my hand? Only the descendants of the Hientri royal family can continue Hientri. With Empress Renisha alone, you can no longer think about the future, right?"
Canary repeated the words she'd been chewing and regurgitating countless times.
Fortunately, she felt like she'd said the right thing.
Canary expected Turiel to react.
However, Turiel remained calm, fiddling with her teacup.
"If you must step back, then stepping back is a good idea. If it's God's will."
"What does that mean?"
"I said, 'If there's nothing left for you to do,' then it's okay to step down. You can just continue to live your life sewing and selling, without getting involved in politics anymore."
"Madame Turiel! I'm giving you a chance, aren't I? Take my hand. My child will be your new future!"
Now that she thinks about it, Canary wasn't completely clueless.
She even bowed to Turiel, the woman who had treated her most harshly and despised her.
Canary was doing her best to survive.
Turiel smiled slowly.
"Is that so?"
But Canary's vision was still narrow.
Perhaps it was from living in a cage, but her depth of thought was shallow.
Why on earth was she trying to find that future through Laxus?
Wouldn't it be faster to find it through Renisha?
Such thoughts were probably beyond her capacity to handle in the first place. After all, Canary wouldn't have even considered Hientri's surname changing.
“You, Canary, are best suited to being a bird singing in a cage.”
“Now, you!”
“A person should live within their means, Canary. Live as a canary. Satisfy the Emperor by singing.”
Canary trembled.
Her face flushed with rage, Canary let out a shrill scream.
“You just insulted the Empress!!”
“But the Empress can’t do anything. Do you have a maid to accompany you? Or a knight to punish me in your stead.”
“Barbara, Barbara...!”
“What can a mere maid, not even a maid, do?”
Turiel scolded coldly.
“Barbara?”
Turiel lifted Barbara’s chin with his fingertips.
Barbara glared at Turiel with a challenging gaze.
“I, when I become a proper maid...!”
"You dream the same dream as your master. What difference will it make if you become a handmaiden? Oh, you expect a title? You're really dreaming, Barbara. Do you really think the Emperor will grant you a title? You could be a handmaiden, but you'd have to make do with appearances... and there won't be any handmaidens to serve your Empress."
Turiel gave Canary a rude nod.
But neither of them said anything.
Turiel's words prickled their hearts.
"If you have a brain, you have to think, Barbara. Even so, do you think you can surpass me? Canary, no. Yes, Your Majesty. Do you think anyone would listen to the Empress and punish me? Which noble of Hientri would do that? There will certainly be those who cling to the child! But they, too, must remember that they are nobles to the core. Don't you realize that the child could be poisonous? There will be women who would kill Your Majesty, steal the child, and then make themselves Empress. Have you considered that? What motives led them to place you as Empress? I think that's the best advice I can give you."
Turiel laughed sarcastically.
Everyone knew that the nobles were united in their disdain for Canary.
Canary gritted her teeth.
As she abruptly rose from her seat, a thought occurred to her.
Still, Turiel spoke to Canary.
Among the ladies, many didn't even pay Canary any attention.
"You're right,"
Canary said, swallowing.
"So, why don't you help me? Help me, just as you helped Empress Renisha. So that this child can become your future."
Canary's voice wavered.
She felt like vomiting was on the verge of happening.
Her mind was blank, and she resented Laxus for putting her in this state.
She had thought everything would be smooth sailing if she just had a child, but all that remained was a ruined sand castle.
Canary desperately grabbed Turiel's hand.
"So that he can become the future..."
Turiel mulled over those words.
So that the child could become the future.
When Turiel's momentum seemed to have subsided, Canary sat back down.
But that didn't mean she'd abandoned her overbearing stance.
"...I think Lady Renisha could help with this, not me."
At that moment, sparks flew into Canary's eyes.
But she couldn't say anything. She simply nodded with her mouth shut.
She mustn't forget that Turiel was her last lifeline.
"Will Lady Renisha help me?"
“I don’t know. But Lady Renisha resents Emperor Laxus. If it were something that could insult His Majesty the Emperor, wouldn’t she help?”
Turiel softened her voice slightly.
“Really? If Lady Renisha helps me, what would I be afraid of? Right, Barbara?”
Barbara nodded, surprised.
Canary, who had been acting all whiny, seemed to have realized something over the past few days.
She was even considering receiving help from Renisha, whom she so hated.
“Yes, Your Majesty. That would be fine. If Lady Renisha would help.”
“I will discuss that matter.”
“...Thank you, Turiel.”
Canary swallowed and rose from her seat.
Laxus, whom she had thought of as her shield, was a double-edged sword, and Renisha, whom she had hated, had become her lifeline.
Even her tears stopped flowing in misery.
Turiel smiled and said.
"Then please write a letter, Your Majesty, the Empress. A letter apologizing to Lady Renisha, asking for forgiveness, and making a request."
“I, I...”
To be treated like this...
The words she couldn’t bring herself to say were swallowed up by her sobs.
Canary’s eyes bulged like a carp, tears falling pitter-patter.
She couldn’t control her emotions.
Tears welled up to the tip of her tongue, seemingly consuming her.
Even breathing felt difficult.
Barbara swallowed a sigh as she watched Canary.
“Stop crying, Your Majesty. Why did you give it all away yesterday? Hold on.”
“How could you not give it to me when I said so?”
Canary snapped sharply.
Laxus brought a bunch of maids and ransacked Canary’s room. He then gathered up all the jewels Renisha had left behind.
These were the things Canary had desperately gathered.
'W-Why that...? Your Majesty, didn't you say it suited Canary?'
'It suits you. It suits yiu. But, Canary, aren't you the Empress who can't give me anything?'
'B-But?'
'Just because you gave birth to an heir, you, who has nothing, become Empress and walk around wearing these things. What would people say? Oh, Laxus has gone crazy, making a foot-washing maid his Empress and giving her more than she deserves! Wouldn't they be making a fuss about it?'
Laxus's giggling face, speaking in a particularly soft tone, etched itself on her heart like a brand.
Canary's lips trembled.
Her mind felt blank.
'S-So you're saying Canary can't afford any of these luxuries?'
'How much money do you have to buy such extravagance?'
Laxus's mood shifted in an instant.
His sharp, glaring eyes, now glaring at Canary, were filled with a dazzling madness.
'With my own money? When you were my mistress, all I had to do was cherish you. So, I could give you endlessly! I didn't expect anything in return! But you're now Empress, Canary. Do you understand the weight of that position? I prefer to receive from an Empress, not give. Just as Renisha has done so much for me!'
Canary remained silent this time.
Since Canary couldn't give anything, Laxus was determined not to give her anything.
Canary glared at the mess left behind.
Tears kept falling from her large eyes.
Renisha had taken away all those who had been helping her.
It didn't seem likely that the noble ladies who ignored Canary would help her.
Canary chewed her lip.
Now, all that remained in the capital was Turiel.
Canary abruptly rose from her seat.
She felt the need to go see Turiel.
If Turiel had any sense, she wouldn't mistreat Canary, who had the heir.
She was a smart woman, and she would know better who to stand in line for.
Canary called Barbara in a high-pitched voice.
"We should get ready to go out!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
***
Turiel pursed her lips.
Seeing Canary's swollen face as she came to visit her, she couldn't help but laugh.
She wondered if she had really come here.
Canary sniffed and glared at Turiel. She had been acting violently, chasing all the ladies from the dressing room, and now was protesting silently.
The silence was so long that Turiel, who had sat there waiting to hear what was going on, grew tired of it.
Finally, Turiel stopped her pointless tug-of-war and spoke.
"Why have you come here and interrupted my business?"
Although she was using honorifics, her gaze remained dismissive.
Canary held back a groan and shook her head.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt your business. I just have something important to tell you.”
Turiel swallowed a sigh. Judging by her appearance, it was clear that she had been beaten to the punch by Laxus.
How could Laxus, who had sucked every last drop of Renisha’s juices, even look upon Canary?
It was Canary’s fault for taking the position of Empress too lightly.
It wasn’t just a title.
It was leading a nation.
How many things would she have to shoulder?
Canary wasn't built to handle such a thing.
"Say what you want to say."
Turiel feigned ignorance.
Still, judging by her clinging presence, she must have been desperate.
"...It's time for you to think about it, too. I'm pregnant, aren't I? Empress Renisha hasn't borne a child. To plan for the future, wouldn't it be better to hold my hand? Only the descendants of the Hientri royal family can continue Hientri. With Empress Renisha alone, you can no longer think about the future, right?"
Canary repeated the words she'd been chewing and regurgitating countless times.
Fortunately, she felt like she'd said the right thing.
Canary expected Turiel to react.
However, Turiel remained calm, fiddling with her teacup.
"If you must step back, then stepping back is a good idea. If it's God's will."
"What does that mean?"
"I said, 'If there's nothing left for you to do,' then it's okay to step down. You can just continue to live your life sewing and selling, without getting involved in politics anymore."
"Madame Turiel! I'm giving you a chance, aren't I? Take my hand. My child will be your new future!"
Now that she thinks about it, Canary wasn't completely clueless.
She even bowed to Turiel, the woman who had treated her most harshly and despised her.
Canary was doing her best to survive.
Turiel smiled slowly.
"Is that so?"
But Canary's vision was still narrow.
Perhaps it was from living in a cage, but her depth of thought was shallow.
Why on earth was she trying to find that future through Laxus?
Wouldn't it be faster to find it through Renisha?
Such thoughts were probably beyond her capacity to handle in the first place. After all, Canary wouldn't have even considered Hientri's surname changing.
“You, Canary, are best suited to being a bird singing in a cage.”
“Now, you!”
“A person should live within their means, Canary. Live as a canary. Satisfy the Emperor by singing.”
Canary trembled.
Her face flushed with rage, Canary let out a shrill scream.
“You just insulted the Empress!!”
“But the Empress can’t do anything. Do you have a maid to accompany you? Or a knight to punish me in your stead.”
“Barbara, Barbara...!”
“What can a mere maid, not even a maid, do?”
Turiel scolded coldly.
“Barbara?”
Turiel lifted Barbara’s chin with his fingertips.
Barbara glared at Turiel with a challenging gaze.
“I, when I become a proper maid...!”
"You dream the same dream as your master. What difference will it make if you become a handmaiden? Oh, you expect a title? You're really dreaming, Barbara. Do you really think the Emperor will grant you a title? You could be a handmaiden, but you'd have to make do with appearances... and there won't be any handmaidens to serve your Empress."
Turiel gave Canary a rude nod.
But neither of them said anything.
Turiel's words prickled their hearts.
"If you have a brain, you have to think, Barbara. Even so, do you think you can surpass me? Canary, no. Yes, Your Majesty. Do you think anyone would listen to the Empress and punish me? Which noble of Hientri would do that? There will certainly be those who cling to the child! But they, too, must remember that they are nobles to the core. Don't you realize that the child could be poisonous? There will be women who would kill Your Majesty, steal the child, and then make themselves Empress. Have you considered that? What motives led them to place you as Empress? I think that's the best advice I can give you."
Turiel laughed sarcastically.
Everyone knew that the nobles were united in their disdain for Canary.
Canary gritted her teeth.
As she abruptly rose from her seat, a thought occurred to her.
Still, Turiel spoke to Canary.
Among the ladies, many didn't even pay Canary any attention.
"You're right,"
Canary said, swallowing.
"So, why don't you help me? Help me, just as you helped Empress Renisha. So that this child can become your future."
Canary's voice wavered.
She felt like vomiting was on the verge of happening.
Her mind was blank, and she resented Laxus for putting her in this state.
She had thought everything would be smooth sailing if she just had a child, but all that remained was a ruined sand castle.
Canary desperately grabbed Turiel's hand.
"So that he can become the future..."
Turiel mulled over those words.
So that the child could become the future.
When Turiel's momentum seemed to have subsided, Canary sat back down.
But that didn't mean she'd abandoned her overbearing stance.
"...I think Lady Renisha could help with this, not me."
At that moment, sparks flew into Canary's eyes.
But she couldn't say anything. She simply nodded with her mouth shut.
She mustn't forget that Turiel was her last lifeline.
"Will Lady Renisha help me?"
“I don’t know. But Lady Renisha resents Emperor Laxus. If it were something that could insult His Majesty the Emperor, wouldn’t she help?”
Turiel softened her voice slightly.
“Really? If Lady Renisha helps me, what would I be afraid of? Right, Barbara?”
Barbara nodded, surprised.
Canary, who had been acting all whiny, seemed to have realized something over the past few days.
She was even considering receiving help from Renisha, whom she so hated.
“Yes, Your Majesty. That would be fine. If Lady Renisha would help.”
“I will discuss that matter.”
“...Thank you, Turiel.”
Canary swallowed and rose from her seat.
Laxus, whom she had thought of as her shield, was a double-edged sword, and Renisha, whom she had hated, had become her lifeline.
Even her tears stopped flowing in misery.
Turiel smiled and said.
"Then please write a letter, Your Majesty, the Empress. A letter apologizing to Lady Renisha, asking for forgiveness, and making a request."
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