Episode 81. When the Signal Fires
Edward entered the study early in the morning. His pace was faster than usual. Serena took her eyes off the documents she was looking at and glanced at Edward. The way he closed the door was more cautious than usual. He had come to speak, and his movements were clearly demonstrating the cautious nature of the matter.
"Serena, I think something has gone wrong."
Edward swallowed hard and continued speaking.
"I initiated the application for the artifact excavation survey by speaking to the Emperor, you know. But if that gets tracked, the Duke of Valois will be implicated. My name will be in it."
Serena said.
"So?"
Edward looked at Serena.
"The Empress might find out. It seems like someone is already on the move."
Serena said, picking up her teacup.
"I suppose so. It will be exposed eventually."
It was Edward who was actually flustered by Serena's calm tone. Serena put the teacup down and spoke.
"They were bound to find out eventually. It was just a matter of whether it was now or later. When I requested an excavation survey of the Empress's building, I didn't think this would be hidden forever."
"Then what do you do now?"
Serena glanced out the window for a moment, then turned around to stare intently at Edward.
"I have to go get purged."
"What?!"
"Just kidding, just kidding. I have to be prepared. If I look like I'm going to get beaten up, I'll just have to hit back somewhere else."
Edward looked at Serena.
"Aren't you scared?"
Serena paused for a moment, looking at Edward. Breaking that brief silence, Serena spoke
"Ah. I don't know, I don't know!"
Edward froze.
"I expected this much. But the Empress will be frantic from now on, too. Because I'm going to make it that way."
Edward wanted to ask Serena something more, but knowing that hearing it would only tire him out, he didn't ask any further. His face showed a look of accumulating unanswered questions. Serena looked at Edward and spoke.
"Brother, thank you for worrying about me."
"Worrying is only natural."
Then, rising from her seat, she added.
"If anything seems off, let me know immediately. I'll rush over, whether it's the Imperial Palace or anywhere else."
Serena nodded. Edward left, leaving Serena alone in the study. She looked out the window. Lavender in the garden was swaying in the breeze. The morning sunlight settled upon the flowerbeds. It was a peaceful scene. Yet, amidst that peaceful landscape, Serena thought. It was bound to happen someday. And now it has. The Empress must know that I did this, right? Then, just as she is cornered by this issue, I must drop another bomb. To keep Her Majesty the Empress in a daze. Bombing hurts the first time, but after two or three hits, you forget the pain and just feel dizzy.
At the same time, in the Empress's chambers. Karl Ernst entered. Although he had only recently become the new Captain of the Guard, he appeared to have already fully adapted to being by the Empress's side. Watching the Crown Prince serve her by her side with taciturn gravitas, the Empress marveled at his insight. Karl Ernst bowed and said.
"Your Majesty, I have confirmed what you mentioned."
The Empress turned her head.
"What happened?"
"It has been confirmed that the application for the artifact excavation survey reached His Majesty the Emperor through internal palace connections. When we traced those connections..."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Edward Valois of the Valois ducal family has made a move."
The chambers fell silent. The Empress bit her lip. She looked out the window. She could see the palace garden. It was a peaceful garden, as always. The trees were swaying in the wind. They were swaying as if they knew nothing.
Edward Valois from the Valois ducal family. Serena's brother. The Empress picked up her teacup. Thinking of Serena, she felt as though she had been struck hard on the back of the head. She bit her lip so hard that blood flowed from her mouth. As Karl, flustered by the sight, tried to step forward, she raised her hand to stop him and wiped her lips with her handkerchief.
"Very well. You may leave. Oh, I need to send a letter of inquiry to Serena. Tell her to come immediately."
Karl bowed his head and left. The Empress was left alone in her chambers. As she set down her teacup, the Empress thought. That Edward Valois had made a move. That Serena knew. From the very beginning. From the moment she mentioned the building during teatime. From the moment she said the artifact might be fake. Everything had been orchestrated from the start. Why, exactly?
The feeling of accepting that name had changed. The name she had called 'our princess.' The name she had personally visited and placed her hand on the forehead. The name she had sent with medicine, dresses, and bedding. That name now settled in the Empress's heart with a different weight.
It was not long after that that Countess Hartmann entered the chambers. The Empress had summoned Madame Hartmann, not Marchioness Deberg. She had only instructed Madame Deberg to investigate the truth. However, she acted differently toward Madame Hartmann. She wanted to speak directly to the person who had been by her side for so long.
As Madame Hartmann entered her chambers, she looked at the Empress. The Empress was sitting by the window, and her profile was different from usual. If she usually exuded a hard and cold aura, today it seemed as though something else was mixed within that coldness. Madame Hartmann observed the Empress and took her seat.
"Madam Hartmann."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Empress spoke while looking out the window.
"Princess Serena may have used me."
The chambers fell silent. Madame Hartmann looked at the Empress.
"The artifact excavation survey. It has been confirmed that the Duke of Valois was involved. It was Serena who first brought up the story of that building during tea time. It was also Serena who suggested that the artifacts might be fake."
"..."
"She manipulated me into buying those buildings. From the very beginning."
The Empress slammed her hand on the table.
"I thought I cherished Serena, and that she followed me well, but it turns out she was just being used."
Upon hearing this, Madame Hartmann fell silent for a moment. She had served the Empress for a long time. Yet, in all those years, this was the first time she had seen the Empress reveal such deep hurt. But at that very moment, Madame Hartmann was thinking of Serena. The moment she first encountered Serena in the hallway. That she had genuinely laughed for the first time at a single remark like, 'You must have had a hard time.' That she had retorted back to Madame Deberg. That she had been the first to suggest having tea together the next time.
Madame Hartmann spoke.
"Your Majesty."
The Empress looked up at Madame Hartmann's call.
"I cannot judge for certain whether Princess Serena did such a thing or not. However, may I ask just one thing?"
The Empress waited for Madame Hartmann to continue.
"What is the reason you have kept Princess Serena close to you? Is it because you genuinely cherish her, or because you need her?"
The chambers fell completely silent.
"If you kept her close out of necessity, wouldn't the Princess have stayed by your side with the same thoughts? Just as you needed her, she might have needed you too."
The Empress fell into thought as she listened to Madame Hartmann.
"Before you feel betrayed, why don't you first consider with what kind of heart you have been treating the Princess?"
Then, bowing her head, she said.
"Of course, I could be wrong. Please forgive me if I dared not say this in front of Your Majesty."
Madame Hartmann was someone who had long been by the Empress's side. She was someone who always acted according to the Empress's will. Yet, today, for the first time, she spoke these words to the Empress. I tried to use Serena. But Serena used me, too. Then who started it first? The moment that thought crossed her mind, the Empress quickly suppressed it.
No, I am the Empress. I act for the sake of the Imperial Household. My use of the Duke of Valois is for the sake of the Imperial Household. But the Princess using me is different. She has betrayed the Imperial Household. I cannot tolerate that.
The Empress was convincing herself with that logic. However, that convincing was not something she could take for granted, even for herself.
"Thank you, Madame Hartmann."
Madame Hartmann looked at the Empress. It was a thank you, but the tone did not convey gratitude. It felt as though Madame Hartmann's words had made the Empress colder rather than reassuring her.
Madame Hartmann rose from her seat and bowed her head. As she left the Empress's chambers, she thought. It seems my words have put Princess Serena in greater danger. Making Her Majesty the Empress colder. Making her harder. Princess Serena. Be careful.
It was the afternoon when the letter arrived for Serena. Maxim handed her an envelope as he entered the study. It bore the Empress's crest.
Serena tore open the envelope and read the letter. It was a short message asking her to come urgently. That was all. Serena held the letter and fell into thought for a moment. To come urgently. It wasn't an invitation to tea time. It wasn't an invitation to go to an event together. It wasn't a casual invitation to strike up a conversation about this and that. Just a request to come urgently. It was a letter different from usual.
As Serena put the letter down, she thought to herself. It was bound to happen. I should just feign ignorance. There is no point in worrying about it, so I just need to go, gauge the atmosphere, and react immediately. Lucy, who had been quietly watching Serena from behind, spoke up.
"Princess, are you going?"
"Then, will you go in my place?"
"No."
Lucy nodded. She waved her hands quickly from side to side.
"Get ready."
While she was getting ready, Lucy spoke from the side.
"My Princess, everything will be alright, right? Shouldn't we be taking the Duke with us?"
"Ugh, Lucy, you worry too much. You only die once, not twice! Oh, well, maybe twice for me."
Lucy tilted her head, but seeing no reaction from Serena, she naturally let it slide. Then, Lucy tightened the waist of Serena's dress with all her might. Startled by the tightness around her waist, Serena turned around and glared at Lucy.
"My Princess, it looks like you've gained some weight."
"Lucy, since you're at it, could you tell me I've gotten healthier?"
"So there's no resistance. Did you get healthy after eating plenty of love?"
"Stop whining and just finish getting ready."
Although Serena could sense the tension regarding the incident and the trip to meet the Empress, Lucy teased her even more mischievously, thinking she was trying to lighten the mood with a joke. Serena was grateful for Lucy's thoughtfulness, but what could she do? If war has broken out, she has to go out with something. There's no point in worrying in advance; she just has to face it head-on, anything.
[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal - Episode 81]
It seems the Princess's schemes have all been exposed by the Empress. Yet, it is truly fascinating to see the Princess acting so carefree.
I played a prank with her dress, hoping to cheer her up, but actually, she really did gain some weight. No, she just got healthier in her own style.
Princess, we are heading to the battlefield. Shall we have a meal first?
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