It was a satisfying, almost sweet answer. Julian seemed relieved, perhaps seeing the emotion in my expression, and asked,
“Do you forgive me now?”
“How much did I persecute you?”
I spoke as if I was complaining, but a deep smile played on my lips. Julian touched the corner of my mouth with his thumb and laughed.
“You went all the way home.”
“Just looking at your face made me sad.”
I blushed in embarrassment.
"Looking back now, I think I already knew back then that I liked you. That's probably why I was so upset that you didn't trust me."
"It's not that I didn't trust you. I might be able to trust the Young Lady of Count Sasha, but I found it difficult to consider her former maid as a reliable source."
"You're right. I'm sorry I got angry. It was fatal."
"That's not true. You always blame yourself. It's more my fault for disappointing you."
“No. It’s because I forced it on you without even looking into it properly.”
"No. You were just speaking from your own experience. I should have listened more closely."
It seemed like the story would never end. I nodded, smiling weakly.
"Yes. It's not my fault, and it's not your fault. Let's just say we were clumsy."
We concluded and nodded amicably. Julian returned to the main point of the story, which had begun long ago.
"I checked with the maids placed around Marquis Eriant's daughter to see if Count Sasha's former maid was trustworthy. There weren't any particular problems with the Marquis Eriant family, but her loyalty to Count Sasha's family was even greater."
If Nife hadn't lied to me, that would certainly be the case. The maid owed Nife a great favor.
“You were right. I apologize...”
I covered Julian's lips with my hand as he tried to apologize again, saying it was his fault.
“Stop it! I’m going to keep apologizing forever and never be able to say anything.”
I felt Julian's lips curve against my palm. I withdrew my fingers and hid them behind my back. I pressed my lips together tightly and then stammered out a word.
"It'd be best to cut down on the words 'thank you' and 'sorry' from now on. We met through a political marriage, but now we like each other, right..."
My face flushed, but I held it in and looked at Julian. Julian nodded.
“It’s an affection based on trust.”
It was a soft yet firm voice. It was low, but clear, without a hint of falsehood.
The moment I heard those words, I vowed. One day, I would tell this man everything. Why I chose him. Why do I keep keeping secrets? Why I ended up living such a fierce life.
“I will repay your trust.”
I spoke with force, desperately hoping my sincerity would reach Julian.
Now, I'm certain that even if I die without producing an heir, Julian won't cast me out. Rather, he will be by my side, watching over my death. Just as in my past life, so too will he in this one.
So, what I needed to do wasn't hide or avoid. It was to lift the curse on me, live long by his side, and help him achieve his revenge and fulfill his long-held desire. That was my duty.
We decided to continue to match our steps, which had been at odds.
“It’s highly likely that Marquis Eriant’s daughter is Princess Abigail’s person.”
"Yes. But right now, Marquis Eriant's daughter is staying in her room and not meeting anyone. She must have judged it dangerous to confront the Princess in this situation."
“Because Prince Cain is also locked up in prison.”
Julian nodded.
"According to the maid I planted, Young Master Eriant would occasionally enter Young Lady's room, and the two would raise their voices. When Young Master said, 'That man is not fit to be Emperor,' Young Lady would reply, 'Only he is worthy of being emperor.'"
I rolled my eyes for a moment, then abruptly sat up. Julian gently squeezed my arm, as if trying to soothe me. I sat back down, drawn by his touch, but my spirit remained.
"I'm not talking about Prince Cain. No one follows him because they believe he has the qualities of an Emperor."
"Yes."
Then it suddenly occurred to me: Am I missing something?
'Emperor' and 'qualification', and 'qualities'.
Prince Aslan possessed both the qualifications and the qualities, while Prince Cain possessed the qualifications but lacked the qualities. However, Young Lady Eriant was said to be "qualified."
Excluding the two Princes, anyone worthy of the title of Emperor. And at that moment, Julian and I locked eyes, our expressions begging for mercy. I held onto Julian, and he, too, spoke aloud what he had realized.
“She wants to make Princess Abigail the Emperor!”
There has never been a single female Empress in the history of this country. While there was no law prohibiting women from becoming Emperors, the absence of such precedents was tantamount to a societal tacit understanding of the rule.
“To Princess Abigail, even her own brother was nothing more than a chess piece.”
Princess Abigail's plan was to have Prince Cain take on Prince Aslan head-on, while she herself grew her power in the shadows.
If that's the case, then in my past life, it was also Princess Abigail who framed and killed the Count of Winsley for treason. My hands trembled uncontrollably as I realized this.
I thought I had put Prince Cain in prison and put him to rest. The chances of him ever being released were slim, and even if he were, it would take at least several years to build up his power. But that wasn't the case.
If we fail to stop Princess Abigail, the same fate will unfold. My family will be accused of treason, hanged, or reduced to slavery. My lips trembled as I spoke.
“...We must stop Princess Abigail.”
I was living a second life, like a miracle. If I let this opportunity slip away, I would never forgive myself.
“If we don’t stop her, she’ll cause even bigger trouble.”
Julian may not have understood everything I said, but the struggle for the throne always involved innocent people.
The imperial family was already exhausted from the power struggle between Prince Aslan and Prince Cain. If Princess Abigail were to assert her own desires, no matter who emerged victorious, it would be difficult to achieve a positive outcome.
Julian nodded, as if agreeing with that point. Then, looking at me intently, he added:
"If the Princess becomes Emperor, you will be in even greater danger. I absolutely want to prevent that."
His voice was filled with concern. Julian gently took my hand in his. Then, my hand, which had been trembling uncontrollably, gradually calmed. As I regained my composure, meeting Julian's eyes, I smiled at a sudden thought.
“I may not be able to get Princess Abigail to be attached to anyone, but there are people who can be annoying.”
Instead of returning to the villa, I decided to stay at the Grand Duke's residence. I suggested stopping by briefly, but Julian absolutely opposed that.
“If I had known that the Princess and the Emperor were such dangerous people, I wouldn’t have sent you to the villa in the first place.”
Julian insisted strongly. After all, the Princess's subordinate, Lady Eriant, had already attempted to assassinate me, and the Emperor had poisoned Julian's mother.
There was no way the Emperor wouldn't target me next. The Emperor's reason for killing the former Grand Duchess, not the former Grand Duke, was clear.
Because it was far easier to kill the former Grand Duchess than the former Grand Duke. Far from being strictly guarded, the secluded mansion seemed like it would be impossible to defend against robbers, with only a few servants... This defenseless environment drove the former Grand Duke to his death.
Julian, knowing him, seemed to have no intention of sending me out of the Grand Duke's mansion. Whenever I felt frustrated and wanted to go for a walk, he'd pick me up and lead me into the garden.
After repeating this for a few days, my doctor finally gave me crutches instead of a wheelchair.
It was around that time that two letters arrived for me.
One of them was from Viscount Lesa.
"I will do as you command."
The letter was so short that even if intercepted, no information could be obtained, and it contained the full extent of Viscount Lesa's fears.
What I instructed Viscount Lesa to do to Princess Abigail was the same things he did to Kaiser.
Sending gifts to the Princess regularly, keeping track of her schedule, and trying to look good—that was the mission I had given Viscount Lesa.
Princess Abigail was being very cautious in her actions, but having lost Prince Cain, it was clear that each and every card she got would be precious.
Princess Abigail may bite Viscount Lesa, but even if she doesn't, Viscount Lesa will always be there to pursue her, so her range of action will inevitably be limited. I knew better than anyone how much Viscount Lesa had annoyed Kaiser in my past life.
I smiled and turned to the next letter. It was from Tien Yus.
"They may be picky, but they're also more vulnerable than anyone when it comes to curiosity. After hearing your story, they're making a fuss, wanting to see you right away. I plan to visit you soon and invite you. While you're persuading His Highness, please protect me, but don't forget to protect me! Please spare me. - Tien Yus."
I couldn't help but laugh as soon as I read the letter. Tien's voice seemed to be right next to me. Come to think of it, Tien had been complaining the whole time about how jealous Julian seemed to be of him.
At the time, I thought it was some kind of nonsense, but looking back, it seems Tien wasn't wrong. Even just calling Tien by his name made Julian look so offended.
As I recalled that scene, my face flushed. I buried my face in the letter and let out a silent scream.
By the way, I guess I'll have to start persuading Julian. I'm planning on sticking with him even when we're walking in the Grand Duke's garden, but will he actually let me go to the Magic Tower?
“Do you forgive me now?”
“How much did I persecute you?”
I spoke as if I was complaining, but a deep smile played on my lips. Julian touched the corner of my mouth with his thumb and laughed.
“You went all the way home.”
“Just looking at your face made me sad.”
I blushed in embarrassment.
"Looking back now, I think I already knew back then that I liked you. That's probably why I was so upset that you didn't trust me."
"It's not that I didn't trust you. I might be able to trust the Young Lady of Count Sasha, but I found it difficult to consider her former maid as a reliable source."
"You're right. I'm sorry I got angry. It was fatal."
"That's not true. You always blame yourself. It's more my fault for disappointing you."
“No. It’s because I forced it on you without even looking into it properly.”
"No. You were just speaking from your own experience. I should have listened more closely."
It seemed like the story would never end. I nodded, smiling weakly.
"Yes. It's not my fault, and it's not your fault. Let's just say we were clumsy."
We concluded and nodded amicably. Julian returned to the main point of the story, which had begun long ago.
"I checked with the maids placed around Marquis Eriant's daughter to see if Count Sasha's former maid was trustworthy. There weren't any particular problems with the Marquis Eriant family, but her loyalty to Count Sasha's family was even greater."
If Nife hadn't lied to me, that would certainly be the case. The maid owed Nife a great favor.
“You were right. I apologize...”
I covered Julian's lips with my hand as he tried to apologize again, saying it was his fault.
“Stop it! I’m going to keep apologizing forever and never be able to say anything.”
I felt Julian's lips curve against my palm. I withdrew my fingers and hid them behind my back. I pressed my lips together tightly and then stammered out a word.
"It'd be best to cut down on the words 'thank you' and 'sorry' from now on. We met through a political marriage, but now we like each other, right..."
My face flushed, but I held it in and looked at Julian. Julian nodded.
“It’s an affection based on trust.”
It was a soft yet firm voice. It was low, but clear, without a hint of falsehood.
The moment I heard those words, I vowed. One day, I would tell this man everything. Why I chose him. Why do I keep keeping secrets? Why I ended up living such a fierce life.
“I will repay your trust.”
I spoke with force, desperately hoping my sincerity would reach Julian.
Now, I'm certain that even if I die without producing an heir, Julian won't cast me out. Rather, he will be by my side, watching over my death. Just as in my past life, so too will he in this one.
So, what I needed to do wasn't hide or avoid. It was to lift the curse on me, live long by his side, and help him achieve his revenge and fulfill his long-held desire. That was my duty.
We decided to continue to match our steps, which had been at odds.
“It’s highly likely that Marquis Eriant’s daughter is Princess Abigail’s person.”
"Yes. But right now, Marquis Eriant's daughter is staying in her room and not meeting anyone. She must have judged it dangerous to confront the Princess in this situation."
“Because Prince Cain is also locked up in prison.”
Julian nodded.
"According to the maid I planted, Young Master Eriant would occasionally enter Young Lady's room, and the two would raise their voices. When Young Master said, 'That man is not fit to be Emperor,' Young Lady would reply, 'Only he is worthy of being emperor.'"
I rolled my eyes for a moment, then abruptly sat up. Julian gently squeezed my arm, as if trying to soothe me. I sat back down, drawn by his touch, but my spirit remained.
"I'm not talking about Prince Cain. No one follows him because they believe he has the qualities of an Emperor."
"Yes."
Then it suddenly occurred to me: Am I missing something?
'Emperor' and 'qualification', and 'qualities'.
Prince Aslan possessed both the qualifications and the qualities, while Prince Cain possessed the qualifications but lacked the qualities. However, Young Lady Eriant was said to be "qualified."
Excluding the two Princes, anyone worthy of the title of Emperor. And at that moment, Julian and I locked eyes, our expressions begging for mercy. I held onto Julian, and he, too, spoke aloud what he had realized.
“She wants to make Princess Abigail the Emperor!”
There has never been a single female Empress in the history of this country. While there was no law prohibiting women from becoming Emperors, the absence of such precedents was tantamount to a societal tacit understanding of the rule.
“To Princess Abigail, even her own brother was nothing more than a chess piece.”
Princess Abigail's plan was to have Prince Cain take on Prince Aslan head-on, while she herself grew her power in the shadows.
If that's the case, then in my past life, it was also Princess Abigail who framed and killed the Count of Winsley for treason. My hands trembled uncontrollably as I realized this.
I thought I had put Prince Cain in prison and put him to rest. The chances of him ever being released were slim, and even if he were, it would take at least several years to build up his power. But that wasn't the case.
If we fail to stop Princess Abigail, the same fate will unfold. My family will be accused of treason, hanged, or reduced to slavery. My lips trembled as I spoke.
“...We must stop Princess Abigail.”
I was living a second life, like a miracle. If I let this opportunity slip away, I would never forgive myself.
“If we don’t stop her, she’ll cause even bigger trouble.”
Julian may not have understood everything I said, but the struggle for the throne always involved innocent people.
The imperial family was already exhausted from the power struggle between Prince Aslan and Prince Cain. If Princess Abigail were to assert her own desires, no matter who emerged victorious, it would be difficult to achieve a positive outcome.
Julian nodded, as if agreeing with that point. Then, looking at me intently, he added:
"If the Princess becomes Emperor, you will be in even greater danger. I absolutely want to prevent that."
His voice was filled with concern. Julian gently took my hand in his. Then, my hand, which had been trembling uncontrollably, gradually calmed. As I regained my composure, meeting Julian's eyes, I smiled at a sudden thought.
“I may not be able to get Princess Abigail to be attached to anyone, but there are people who can be annoying.”
***
Instead of returning to the villa, I decided to stay at the Grand Duke's residence. I suggested stopping by briefly, but Julian absolutely opposed that.
“If I had known that the Princess and the Emperor were such dangerous people, I wouldn’t have sent you to the villa in the first place.”
Julian insisted strongly. After all, the Princess's subordinate, Lady Eriant, had already attempted to assassinate me, and the Emperor had poisoned Julian's mother.
There was no way the Emperor wouldn't target me next. The Emperor's reason for killing the former Grand Duchess, not the former Grand Duke, was clear.
Because it was far easier to kill the former Grand Duchess than the former Grand Duke. Far from being strictly guarded, the secluded mansion seemed like it would be impossible to defend against robbers, with only a few servants... This defenseless environment drove the former Grand Duke to his death.
Julian, knowing him, seemed to have no intention of sending me out of the Grand Duke's mansion. Whenever I felt frustrated and wanted to go for a walk, he'd pick me up and lead me into the garden.
After repeating this for a few days, my doctor finally gave me crutches instead of a wheelchair.
It was around that time that two letters arrived for me.
One of them was from Viscount Lesa.
"I will do as you command."
The letter was so short that even if intercepted, no information could be obtained, and it contained the full extent of Viscount Lesa's fears.
What I instructed Viscount Lesa to do to Princess Abigail was the same things he did to Kaiser.
Sending gifts to the Princess regularly, keeping track of her schedule, and trying to look good—that was the mission I had given Viscount Lesa.
Princess Abigail was being very cautious in her actions, but having lost Prince Cain, it was clear that each and every card she got would be precious.
Princess Abigail may bite Viscount Lesa, but even if she doesn't, Viscount Lesa will always be there to pursue her, so her range of action will inevitably be limited. I knew better than anyone how much Viscount Lesa had annoyed Kaiser in my past life.
I smiled and turned to the next letter. It was from Tien Yus.
"They may be picky, but they're also more vulnerable than anyone when it comes to curiosity. After hearing your story, they're making a fuss, wanting to see you right away. I plan to visit you soon and invite you. While you're persuading His Highness, please protect me, but don't forget to protect me! Please spare me. - Tien Yus."
I couldn't help but laugh as soon as I read the letter. Tien's voice seemed to be right next to me. Come to think of it, Tien had been complaining the whole time about how jealous Julian seemed to be of him.
At the time, I thought it was some kind of nonsense, but looking back, it seems Tien wasn't wrong. Even just calling Tien by his name made Julian look so offended.
As I recalled that scene, my face flushed. I buried my face in the letter and let out a silent scream.
By the way, I guess I'll have to start persuading Julian. I'm planning on sticking with him even when we're walking in the Grand Duke's garden, but will he actually let me go to the Magic Tower?
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