I Possessed The Immoral Empress - Chapter 49

The procession through the streets concluded, and the investiture ceremony of Valliere took place at the central temple located in the heart of the city.

Some of the commoners who had witnessed a commoner ascending to the rank of a Marchioness were pleased, considering their own circumstances. However, the majority expressed dissatisfaction, believing that an unqualified individual had received the title.

Inside the temple, the nobles displayed no reaction.

They showed no interest, in transcending personal preferences.

The temple, with its lofty ceiling and spacious interior, was of impressive proportions, and although it was packed with people, one could hardly believe it until they saw it with their own eyes.

It was a perfect silence and indifference.

The nobles’ reactions were the same, whether they belonged to the Emperor’s faction or the noble faction.

While it was true that the position of Marquess was traditionally a lower one within the government, it had not been disregarded to this extent until the reign of the previous emperor.

The previous emperor, with his striking red hair and piercing blue eyes, possessed a captivating charm, quite separate from his incompetence. His eloquence and quick wit led to suspicions that the gods had bestowed upon him a special blessing that could capture the hearts of women.

It was no wonder that foreign royalty, distinguished noblewomen, debutantes, and even commoners with no interest in the royal court had all fallen under his spell, regardless of their social status.

It was a time when love and jealousy overflowed within the palace.

Furthermore, since the previous emperor had not officially designated an heir from his empress, the situation had become even more complicated.

Another problem was that there were no close relatives in the imperial family to carry on the lineage.

As a result, all of the lovers of the previous emperor who had sons began to covet the position of heir.

In order to officially adopt their own child as the heir to the empress, various schemes and strategies were devised within the capital.

What eventually unfolded was the most horrifying sibling rivalry in the history of the empire.

It is unclear who initiated it first, but one by one, the illegitimate children began to die, fueling a heated atmosphere of vengeance among those who remained.

However, even as his own sons died one by one over several months, the previous emperor showed no intention of resolving the situation.

He continued to watch as his sons perished, eventually promoting Henry, who had survived until the end and independently built his own power, to be both the empress’s adopted son and the heir, out of fear.

The years of sibling rivalry left a harrowing memory for the nobles who were entangled in it.

The event shattered the beliefs that people held about living in a country where a relatively strict rule of law was in place.

The current nobles, regardless of their factions, found some comfort in Henry’s clean slate when it came to his relationships with women. However, that didn’t mean they had no grievances against him at all.

The emperor was heavily implicated in the deaths of the emperor’s illegitimate children, most notably by associating with the House de Françoise, which was believed to be most involved, and welcoming the daughter who inherited the ominous magic of the duke as the empress.

Whether they had lost someone close in the struggle for the heir or not, the nobles harbored both major and minor grievances and resentments against the imperial couple.

However, they dared not express these sentiments to the emperor, who was called the current incarnation of the divine.

Of course, the so-called immoral empress, Ermedeline, had indeed received numerous threatening letters and assassination attempts. Still, her status as the most powerful witch made even the nobles hesitant to act recklessly in her presence.

The accumulated discontent and resentment found an appropriate target in Valliere, who happened to be by the side of the imperial couple.

Furthermore, Valliere was a poorly backed illegitimate child in her own right.

From the moment she entered the palace, Valliere had to endure a constant stream of humiliation.

‘What’s going on? Why is the atmosphere like this?’

Even if there were important events happening, the atmosphere was unusually chilly for a gathering leading up to a significant occasion.

The original Valliere might have been accustomed to such treatment and possessed a strong spirit that was unshaken by the gaze of others, so she might not have taken this situation too seriously.

However, the current Valliere had never experienced such treatment before.

It was not an easy situation for the pretty girl who was born as the third generation of a chaebol family to find herself in a situation where she felt humiliated.

She had never experienced failure, and she had never tried to overcome feelings of inferiority, so in her previous life, she had reacted extremely to the emotion of inferiority.

As Valliere slowly made her way to the central altar where Henry was waiting, she realized that the atmosphere was quite different from what she had initially imagined.

Naturally, she expected to receive jealous and admiring glances from the nobles, but there was no reaction whatsoever.

The atmosphere was so quiet that she could even hear her own breathing, but Valliere managed to keep her composure and stood in front of the altar.

Henry, standing solemn and graceful on the altar, was a sight to behold.

Following the guidance of the priestess, Valliere knelt before Henry and lowered her head.

The chief priest delivered a solemn speech about the duties and responsibilities of a subject in elaborate language. Afterward, Valliere pledged her loyalty to Henry.

Henry, in turn, bestowed a splendid flag with the emblem of the newly created Bellest lineage and kissed Valliere on both cheeks.

“Thus, let it be known that Valliere has become the Marchioness of Bellest!” The high priest proclaimed the final sentence of Valliere’s investiture with a loud voice, and the joyful sound of trumpets filled the temple.

Observing this spectacle, Ermedeline, quite naturally, raised her hand to applaud. However, just before her palms could meet, her applause ceased.

In this awkward moment, it became apparent that no one in the temple was applauding Valliere.

‘What’s wrong with these people? Even if it’s not their business, they could at least offer some congratulations,’ Ermedeline thought. She couldn’t quite understand the nobles’ attitude, but in reality, their behavior wasn’t all that surprising.

After all, the power of a name stemmed from the lands owned by the family, their vassals, military strength, and the long history and tradition they upheld. In their eyes, giving a commoner-born child a fancy title was just a façade, as they were still considered illegitimate.

Separate from Valliere’s own anxieties, Ermedeline felt a sense of rebellion against the cold atmosphere she found so materialistic. She contemplated clapping her hands alone but eventually refrained from doing so.

She realized that clapping alone in this situation might be seen not as a congratulatory gesture but as mockery.

‘In truth, I’m not used to this. Shouldn’t people just be genuinely happy for someone when something good happens to them? The common people on the streets, who cry together in times of sorrow, seem much more humane,’ Ermedeline thought.

Yet, despite the anticipation of this awkward moment, Valliere couldn’t lift her head. She had received Henry’s kiss, and as the newly appointed Marchioness, she was supposed to turn around and lead her procession through the temple. However, she couldn’t find the courage to raise her head.

She understood the meaning behind this silence, this dreadful stillness.

It felt like her veins would burst from shame, and she struggled not to show any signs of crying. Yet, her eyes were already beginning to well up with tears.

Then, Henry approached and took Valliere’s hand.

Together, they began to march through the temple, and at that moment, everyone in the temple stood up and began to applaud thunderously.

Amidst the pouring cheers and blessings, Valliere realized something profound – that she was nothing without Henry. In the midst of her wavering heart, a dagger with a serrated edge had been forged and was now thrust deep within her.

While it had solidified her emotions, preventing them from wavering, it had also caused her heart to bleed a deep crimson.

From that moment on, Valliere regarded not only Ermedeline but everyone as her enemies. She had gained her title, yet no one showed her respect? She resolved to make them show respect, even if she had to force it.

Ermedeline, watching the two of them march, couldn’t shake off a feeling of unease throughout the entire ordeal.

Most people believed that Ermedeline was jealous of Henry and Valliere’s splendid appearance, but the reality was different.

‘She must have had high expectations. She must be quite disappointed,’ Ermedeline thought.

With this incident, she had hoped that Valliere’s feelings of inferiority would diminish even a little. However, now it was difficult to predict how this moment would affect her.

‘Please, just act sensibly for a little while. If you become a fitting empress and show it, people will naturally show you respect. Just hold on until then,’ Ermedeline sighed with a sense of pity as she watched the two of them leave the temple and head toward the square.

“Your Majesty, the Empress.”

Ermedeline heard a familiar voice and turned her head to see Felio wearing a mask that matched hers, smiling brightly.

“Felio! I’ve wanted to greet you since this morning, and we finally meet!” Although only her eyes were visible behind the mask, Ermedeline’s face was filled with joy.

“Yes, I am busy with the procession in the morning. The alchemy…”

“The brooch! I see you’ve worn it!” Ermedeline interrupted him as she burst into a hearty laugh.

Ermedeline’s eyes sparkled with pure joy, devoid of any malice. Felio found himself smiling at her laughter, though fortunately, his mask concealed it from others.

“Yes, didn’t I tell you I would wear it?” 

“It suits you very well, Your Grace. It suits you perfectly!” 

Ermedeline nodded as if to affirm that, though she hadn’t chosen it herself, she was proud of her selection.

Rooney found Ermedeline’s reaction adorable and turned her head to stifle a small giggle.

“Yes, indeed. Your Majesty, your taste is truly excellent,” Rooney said, and Ermedeline gave her a sly side glance, to which Rooney responded with a slight nod, signaling that everything was fine.

“Well, it’s good to know that now. Are the preparations for the orphanage ceremony this afternoon going well?” “Yes. Actually, that’s the reason I came. I have a report that I might have to leave for a while for some inspections before the ceremony.”

“Inspections? What kind of inspections? I should join you; I feel uncomfortable having all the work piled on you,” Ermedeline said.

“No, it’s something I must do myself. I’ll be back before the ceremony, so please don’t worry.”

Ermedeline wasn’t sure what this was all about, but Felio’s expression was so resolute that she decided to step back for now.

“Alright, we’ll see each other at the ceremony,” Ermedeline said.

As Felio turned away and continued walking, an icy chill emanated from his face, perfectly befitting his nickname, the Ice Prince. Each step he took seemed to freeze the ground, but in reality, intense heat was radiating from him.

As a fire mage, Felio was known for keeping his emotions in check, but when he lost control of his feelings, his fiery anger was unlike anything else. While his emotional fluctuations were usually mild, when he crossed a certain threshold, his reactions could be far more intense than an average person’s.

In short, it meant that he could fall deeply in love without showing any symptoms but could also become intensely furious without warning. Felio disappeared into the crowd, seething with anger, and his father, Duke Batistian, watched this scene with a meaningful smile.