The furniture was smashed and spilled. The aide was perplexed.
‘He’d never been so angry in front of anyone except Mrs. Rachel…’
The aide believed it was because the emperor respected him.
So, he often looked down on Rachel, thinking that she’s a mistress who wasn’t respected.
But that thought was wrong.
It’s because Rachel had accepted his wrath that the Emperor was able to exercise patience with others.
Just then, an attendant standing outside the office gave a sign.
“Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress wants to have an audience with Your Majesty.”
“…!”
It was the first time. Claude forgot how angry he was and murmured.
“Aratine?”
Since she became his Empress, Aratine has been less open-minded. After trying all kinds of tricks, the emperor gave up on Aratine halfway.
‘What the hell is going on?’
“Take the Empress to the audience room.”
“As you wish.”
Claude left his office and aides in a mess and headed to the audience room to meet Aratine.
“Empress.”
“I greet Your Majesty.”
The Empress, accompanied by her court ladies, greeted him with impeccable gestures. The Emperor’s attendants thought that the Empress’ long blonde hair and brown eyes were quite familiar.
Even though it’s a completely different image, Madam Rachel’s face came to mind at first glance.
“What brought you to Us?”
Before the death of the late emperor, Claude and Aratine were clearly lovers. Claude’s murder of his brother was not without his desire to become Aratine’s husband.
However, when he became emperor with so much effort and raised Aratine as empress in spite of everyone’s opposition and danger, Aratine was not happy.
Claude, proud and self-centered, felt betrayed.
If he thought about it a little, anyone would have understood that Aratine couldn’t please him, but Claude was very disappointed with Aratine, who for the first time did not respond the way he wanted.
‘I like women who look like her, even my mistress.’
Claude thought that Aratine was turning away from his easy to understand love.
Of course, Claude didn’t become emperor purely for Aratine’s sake.
His lust for power and hostility toward his father and older brother were the main causes. The reason why he got his hands on Aratine was that he wanted to completely take away his older brother’s things.
His pride was hurt because Aratine didn’t react the way he wanted even though he gave her love that couldn’t even be called love.
It was a shockingly self-centered way of thinking.
“I have come to make a request to Your Majesty.”
But in any case, Aratine was the only woman Claude thought he loved.
Thinking that the woman he loved had, for the first time in a very long time, bowed her proud head and came to find him, beneath his resentful heart, the thought of her admiration and the arrogant feeling of being asked began to rise in his head.
“Hm, alright. What favor did you take such a difficult step for?”
“I want to send Zagreb to the Grand Duchess.”
“…!”
Claude was surprised.
‘You want to send an ancient weapon to the Grand Duchess?’
But there’s no malice on Aratine’s face.
‘No way… was it what the Elector of Castana ordered her to do?’
Claude’s head buzzed. At today’s meeting, one abstained. It’s very likely that the abstention was thrown by the Elector of Castana.
If the Elector of Castana decided to break his neutrality and support him…
And today, an elector turned away from him. The Emperor was furious and impatient at the thought of his base of support being shaken.
Instead of thinking deeply, Claude decided to check it one last time.
“Empress, did someone ask the Empress to make a request like this instead?”
Aratine was startled.
“Oh my, yes. That’s right. Your Majesty, how did you…”
That’s it.
The emperor nodded hastily. If he was going to hit the Grand Duchess anyway, it’s an offer that wouldn’t be bad for him either.
Besides, Castana and Aratine were paying attention to the fact that Rachel was given the Countship.
He also didn’t want to refuse Aratine’s request after a long time.
He had a desire to do the Empress’ favor more like an emperor and more generously than his older brother.
When the two things, greed and impatience, were equipped, his eyes were completely covered.
There was no one here who could stop him.
“I see. No need to explain further. Please do my Empress’ request. For her to break her confinement and come to ask me for a favor…”
Aratine looked at Claude with strange eyes.
He was the man who turned her into a prodigal daughter who remarried to her husband’s younger brother.
Aratine did not believe that Claude had killed the Emperor and Islar.
Because Claude claimed that he became the Emperor because he loved Aratine.
Aratine was upset that her reputation was damaged, but she didn’t hate his words saying he loved her very much.
However, Claude did not only look at Aratine, but lived with his mistress proudly.
She couldn’t help but feel resentful. In spite of his regret, Aratine had stubbornly stayed behind despite her father’s urging and encouragement.
However, seeing him agree to her request without a second thought today, Aratine’s fragile heart was greatly shaken.
It reminded her of those days when they secretly shared love affectionately, a long time ago.
“Your Majesty…”
Aratine’s eyes were moist.
The attitude of Aratine, who had consistently rejected him, changed. When he felt it, Claude’s lust began to burn like a flame.
Just then, a woman came outside the door.
It was Rachel, who became Countess.
“Is the Empress here?”
She had just come to hear the results of the vote at the first electoral meeting but this was really unexpected news.
Rachel gently shook the fan with the red flower on it.
The attendants had retreated outside the door, leaving only the two former lovers in the room.
Rachel didn’t have a hard time guessing what’s going on…and just smiled.
“I can’t interrupt. I have no choice but to return.”
The chief chamberlain, who was guarding the door, lowered his head anxiously. Rachel advised.
“Don’t tell His Majesty that I came. He might get angry.”
The attendant, relieved that Rachel had gone back without causing harm, nodded his head, saying that he would do so.
***
The next day.
Damian was invited to the Knights Review Ceremony during this Reconciliation as the Grand Marshal.
Damian emptied the Grand Duke’s residence as if to respond to the invitation. The Crown Prince Matteo was also with him.
As if waiting for it, a huge gift arrived to Lily.
“It was sent by Her Majesty the Empress Aratine.”
Lilian had a hunch that Emperor Claude had made a hole to escape.
It’s as she guessed. Damian had a history of getting out of Zagreb. So, Claude thought, it’s unlikely that Lilian would become a nuisance just because he sent Zagreb to Lilian this time.
However, he needed an excuse to escape in case something went wrong. Claude didn’t hesitate to use the name of the woman he loved.
It was proof that his love for himself was greater than his love for Aratine.
“Would you like to open it?”
The fact that Damian’s soul fragment was being held captive in Zagreb was still a secret between the ducal couple.
And so, Mrs. Maureen and Rita looked uneasy and uncomfortable.
But Lilian nodded. Mrs. Maureen and Rita reluctantly followed Lily’s instructions and unwrapped it.
“This…”
“Oh my God, what the hell is this?”
Upon unpacking, what was revealed was an object resembling a dignified piece of antique furniture.
However, its purpose wasn’t clear.
The overall shape resembled a closet with doors, but it’s much taller and shallower than a standard closet.
It was as if a door from somewhere in the imperial palace had been removed and sent.
“This is a mirror with a door.”
“Why put a door on the mirror?”
When the hell did that trend exist? Mrs. Maureen looked at the Empress’ present with a reluctant expression.
At the highest part of the arch, a sun-like figure was carved, with a number of people standing underneath it. Although it was very good carving on dark colored fine wood…
The eerie part was that all the people carved on the door were looking this way.
‘It’s strangely creepy.’
“Shall we open the door, Your Highness?”
Lilian shook her head. Then she instructed for the present to be placed on one side of the room and asked people out.
After Mrs. Maureen and Rita went out, Lilian stood in front of the mirror, the door to Zagreb.
It was the shape Damian described.
‘He said it worked as soon as they opened the door.’
Lilian put her hand on the door. And she first called out carefully.
“…Zagreb?”
Nothing happened.
Should she try opening this door?
While Lilian was contemplating, light suddenly started leaking through the crack in the door.
“…!”
She didn’t even have time to be surprised for long.
Immediately, her view turned upside down.
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