I Possessed The Immoral Empress - Chapter 56

As the carriage carrying Ermedeline, who had gone to inspect the sewage system, moved further away, Félio remained seated in the same spot, deep in thought.

The attendants who were there to accompany Félio were taken aback and attempted to lift him, but at his firm gesture, they stepped back.

Félio loved his mother, as any son would. Perhaps, it was because of his mother’s arranged marriage due to her waning magical bloodline, but she wasn’t particularly fond of his father.

More often than not, his parents had days when they ignored each other rather than displaying affection.

Such an environment naturally had an impact on their children. Félio, their only child, grew up to be more introverted and defiant as his parents grew more indifferent to each other.

To the point where he developed an aversion to the idea of marriage and building a family, separate from loving his parents.

In this environment, that handkerchief was a gift from his mother on the last birthday he had before she passed away. From what he could recall, that day marked the last time he saw his parents being affectionate towards each other.

Although he didn’t know what had happened, the relationship between his parents, which had already been strained, deteriorated rapidly after his birthday. A few months later, his mother fell under a terrible curse and passed away.

To Félio, that handkerchief was not just an ordinary piece of cloth. It was the last remnant of the once-happy family he had so desperately wanted.

But what meaning did such a handkerchief hold now? He couldn’t control this beastly desire to protect the woman who had killed his mother and to support his father.

To the question of why he did it, he replied that it was because he couldn’t bear the sight of blood on her hands.

Of course, that statement reflected his true feelings completely.

Félio had no desire to harm Ermedeline in any way, neither physically nor to damage any part of her soul. He wanted to carry the burden of her countless past sins, if possible, and to be the one to bear it all for her.

So, it was alright to discard things like a handkerchief. He had made up his mind to walk the path of a beast, wholeheartedly.

He rummaged through his pockets and retrieved a brooch he had put away since Foundation Day. 

“Could you attach this for me?” 

Suddenly sitting down and pondering seriously for a while, he requested to have the brooch fastened, seemingly out of nowhere.

The attendant was momentarily perplexed but quickly attached the brooch to Félio’s cloak as he requested.

“You know, even during Foundation Day, it looked quite suitable with you.”

“Is that so?”

Félio’s face, as he gazed down at the attendant, lost its hesitation and broke into a smile.

***

“It matches the handwriting of Marchioness Belian.”

“Really? You think I can’t even recognize Valliere’s handwriting?”

“Yes, I found it odd myself and checked multiple times. However, this commission was undoubtedly written by the Marchioness herself.”

What Henry held in his hand was a commission from Valliere, requesting a change in the design of the new dress she had ordered. It indeed resembled the handwriting from the note sent by Ermond.

“I see. Please handle this matter for now. I will check it personally. How is the epidemic progressing?” Henry inquired.

“Most areas have managed to prevent secondary infections, but there are still some places where it persists. In a few villages, the infection has spread, resulting in multiple deaths,” the attendant replied.

“I see.”

In a situation where nothing seemed to go as desired, the commission, held weakly in Henry’s hand, crumpled. Henry immediately sought out Valliere.

Valliere, who had been subdued for a while, became excited as she heard that he was coming, momentarily forgetting the unfavorable circumstances she was in and looking at herself in the mirror.

“It seems like Your Majesty is in a better mood now,” one of the maidservants commented.

“What’s there to be angry about? I wasn’t infected by the epidemic. It’s not like I caused it,” Valliere replied, unapologetically. The maidservants simply lowered their heads without offering a response to her audacious reply.

However, Valliere, who seemed entirely indifferent to the maidservants’ feelings, appeared more innocent after finishing her dress. Just then, Henry arrived.

“Your Majesty! It’s been a while!” Valliere greeted Henry with genuine joy in her heart, flashing a wide smile.

Henry felt momentarily touched by that smile but quickly recalled his reason for being there.

“We’re planning to send congratulations to the orphanage the Empress is establishing this time. It would be great if you could send a letter along with it,” Henry said.

Valliere was annoyed that the reason for Henry’s visit was related to Ermedeline, but she accepted the proposal, thinking that her name would appear alongside Henry’s in the congratulations.

“Yes, I’ll do it,” she agreed.

“Great. You just need to write a brief congratulatory message and sign it.”

Valliere eagerly accepted the paper that Henry offered, took a pen, and started writing with great care.

In that short moment, Henry silently prayed. He prayed to gods he didn’t believe in, asking for Valliere’s handwriting to match what he knew.

However, as always, the gods turned a deaf ear to his prayers. Valliere’s handwriting, as she wrote, matched the round, neat script on Ermond’s note perfectly.

Valliere remained completely unaware of her situation, concentrating on each letter as she wrote.

“There, all done!” Valliere beamed, handing over the paper with her neat handwriting. Her cheeks were tinged with a pretty blush.

She was pleased that Henry had asked her for something. Henry found her joy endearing and couldn’t help but absentmindedly stroke her hair.

“Very well. Thank you,” Henry said.

Valliere’s heart raced, and she burst into another radiant smile at Henry’s touch, her laughter bubbling up once more.

Excusing herself for having business to attend to, Henry handed the paper to Count Hallstein, who was waiting outside.

“Commission an expert for analysis,” Henry ordered.

“Yes.”

“And deploy more soldiers in front of Valliere’s residence. Ensure she doesn’t set foot outside her quarters.”

With a composed expression, Henry passed by Count Hallstein and couldn’t help but quietly savor the feeling of Valliere’s skin beneath his touch, the soft, warm sensation that was so familiar and pleasant, seeming to linger.

Even when the moment has passed, memories are not easily erased. They are etched into everything he sees, hears, smells, and feels, especially the memories of his first love.

As Henry distanced himself from Valliere, red blood dripped from his back, painting the floor a deep crimson.

***

“What are you doing? What’s going on?” Count Hallstein exclaimed, causing Ermedeline to jump to her feet.

“There will be an investiture ceremony for Her Majesty the Empress on the upcoming National Wedding Anniversary,” Hallstein explained.

“That’s absurd. What investiture? Wasn’t His Majesty planning to march alone that day?” Ermedeline was taken aback.

“Yes, he will march alone.”

It was indeed a somewhat comical idea that on the National Wedding Anniversary, instead of walking with her husband, the Empress would march alone. However, the nobles were eager to present this image to the public. From their perspective, it was better if the Emperor walked alone, rather than being accompanied by witches or mistresses.

“But why the sudden investiture ceremony? Am I supposed to receive some new title?” Ermedeline questioned. She was already the Empress, so what new title could they be talking about?

Seeing Ermedeline’s puzzled expression, Marquess Hallstein personally provided an explanation.

“Since the former Duke de Françoise has passed away, you are to become the next Duchess.”

Ermedeline was taken aback. Until now, she had been more concerned about the fact that Félio had been involved in that man’s death rather than her. As a result, the idea that someone had to succeed the Duke’s title upon his death hadn’t even crossed her mind.

“But do I really need to take it? My brother is still alive,” she replied, a hint of resistance in her voice.

“Currently, Duke Ermond is unaccounted for within the Trivian Empire,” Count Hallstein explained.

Ermedeline was not convinced. “There are no lands or soldiers left. Why bother bestowing a mere title upon me?”

The current Ermedeline had no knowledge of the status or importance of the de Françoise Duchy within their territory. She had barely adjusted to her life in the palace and knew nothing about the state of the unvisited lands. However, Count Hallstein suspects she pretended to be naive, even though she knew everything about the state of the territory.

“Nevertheless, someone must receive the title. It would be even better if a member of the Trivian Empire’s royal family carries the weight of that name,” he replied.

This statement implied a plan to bestow the title of the Duke de Francoise upon the next legitimate heir born to the future Empress, effectively linking the Dukedom to the royal family.

Count Hallstein had practically spelled out his intentions for Ermedeline, but even this time, she failed to grasp the full truth.

“Well, I suppose if you think about it, having the family name reinstated isn’t all that bad,” she mused.

‘What? Reinstated?’ Hallstein momentarily questioned his hearing.

“Right. Fine. But keep it brief. No one should call me by it, and let’s keep it modest. We wouldn’t want an outbreak during my investiture ceremony,” Ermedeline added.

This was what Count Hallstein had desired all along: to quietly subordinate the de Françoise Duchy name to the Empress.

Ermedeline’s willingness to reduce the scale of the ceremony was something that Count Hallstein couldn’t be more grateful for, considering she knew nothing about the event.

‘Does she not realize that one day she will be divorced and dethroned as empress?’

“Yes. We will proceed as you’ve suggested.”

Before she could change her mind, Count Hallstein quickly left her residence. For a while, he pondered the situation. The Ermedeline he knew was never like this. She wouldn’t have cared about the epidemic or the death of the de Françoise Duchy. In fact, she would have been the first to demand the title, if it were available. Consequently, upon Count Hallstein’s return, Duke Batistian, aware of Ermedeline’s vanity, instructed him to stimulate her ego, just as he had done during Valliere’s investiture, by increasing the ceremony’s scale.

He even suggested introducing a patient with a contagious disease during the ceremony. Count Hallstein, of course, disagreed with this idea. While he held some resentment against Ermedeline, he still could differentiate between personal feelings and his duty. Therefore, his plan was to convince Ermedeline to reduce the scale of the ceremony.

However, the witch had volunteered to reduce the scale of the event for the sake of the people. This presented a conflict within Count Hallstein, torn between personal grudges and his desire for the empire’s stability.

***

“What are you doing?”

Feeling happier with Henry’s visit, Valliere had intended to go out to town to purchase new jewelry.

But suddenly, it seemed that the palace guards were blocking his path.

“The Emperor has given orders not to let anyone leave this place,” one of the guards said.

Valliere was taken aback. “What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“We’re just following orders,” the guard replied.

“Get out of my way right now! I’m Marchioness Belian! A mere soldier can’t stop me!”

She attempted to use her newly acquired title to threaten them, but the palace guards were unfazed. They were specially trained to give their lives for the Emperor in times of crisis, and no amount of posturing would change that.

“The Emperor’s orders stand, and until he says otherwise, you will not leave this room,” the guard repeated firmly.

“Move! I won’t stay here! I am not going out, but I’m going to the Emperor to ask for an explanation! So, get out of my way!”

Valliere could try to be as menacing as he wanted, but the guards remained unmoved. Meanwhile, the palace servants stood back, unsure of what to do, exchanging uneasy glances.

‘What’s going on? Why is he suddenly confining me?’ Valliere pondered. The warmth from the hand that had just affectionately patted his head still lingered, but there had been no prior warning or communication about this. It certainly felt like a foreboding situation.

‘Could the epidemic have spread more seriously than expected? No, if it were an issue like that, he would have confined me earlier. Henry hasn’t even been gone for an hour, and this is too sudden.’

‘Is he on to something? That can’t be right, the Duke of François would have taken care of that.’

In this unexpected situation, all sorts of ominous thoughts began to fill Valliere’s mind. The young woman who had fallen in love was learning about the sweetness and bitterness of life in just a few days, shuttling between heaven and hell.

The rumor of Valliere’s confinement had spread across the capital, thanks to the visit from Countess Elion, who brought news of her isolation. However, the real reason for Valliere’s situation was a secret, hidden away in the message from Ermond. The official story circulating was that Valliere had been confined due to the epidemic.

Additionally, the rumors surrounding the National Wedding Anniversary parade included the surprising detail that Valliere wouldn’t be accompanying Henry in the procession, and instead, Henry would ride the carriage alone. These rumors were also beginning to circulate.

Most nobles were aware that the empress would eventually be cast aside by Henry, but given that Henry was accompanied by Valliere, his long-time lover, even the eligible members of noble families dared not harbor dreams of becoming the next empress. However, by an odd twist of fate, these two rumors had spread simultaneously and quickly, igniting dreams of becoming the next empress in the hearts of all the empire’s eligible noblewomen.

As the social season began, the atmosphere in the capital was heating up rapidly.