“Yes. Everyone says it’s been tough because of this recent epidemic…”

The Countess glanced at Ermedeline, her words trailing off.

She had heard about Princess Viella’s story just yesterday.

The plague began with the poor, but soon reached the nobility, killing even the duke’s youngest son.

It must be the same here.

“Are you going to pay for the deaths in my family because of the epidemic you caused?” 

She knew she was playing the role of the villain, but facing people’s hatred head-on like this was still uncomfortable.

She’s jealous of Yerim, who possessed the body of the heroine.

Ermedeline, with a somber expression, bit her lip, and as Felio examined the budget, he casually remarked.

“But the response from the people seems to have been pretty good, thanks to the story of the baby who was saved by Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Is that so?”

A welcome sound amid her worries.

Of course, her actions hadn’t been driven by expectations of a reward, but receiving unexpected gratitude like this was still a joyful thing.

“Though, for now, it seems that public opinion still leans towards considering it as some kind of magical experiment.”

“Ah…”

However, the joy didn’t last long. That annoying fellow had to add a word.

“By the way, what are your plans for tomorrow?”

“My plans?”

At Countess Elion’s inquiry, Ermedeline furrowed her brow slightly. She was apprehensive about what unpleasant words might come out of her mouth this time.

“It’s about the funeral at the Ilyenian Dukedom.”

“Oh, it’s tomorrow…”

She remembered the face of Princess Viella, who had stared at her with eyes filled with an indescribable and intense hatred.

“Will you just send condolences, or will you attend in person?”

“I’ll attend in person. Wasn’t the duke’s son 12 years old?”

“Yes, that’s correct. He just turned 12 two months ago.”

“Attending the funeral in person…”

As she thought about the small coffin in which the child would lie, Ermedeline suddenly felt her throat tighten. Perhaps it was because of her memories of losing her siblings when she was in the orphanage, but Ermedeline was particularly sensitive to the deaths of young children. So, she regretted not being able to save the child in front of her more than her own fading life.

“Um, I plan to personally offer flowers with my own hands.”

After managing to steady her voice and finish speaking, she felt the gaze of two pairs of expressionless eyes on her.

Ermedeline quickly understood what the two of them were thinking.

“You seem to think I’m some kind of evil incarnate, but I’m not. I just don’t want to be a witch anymore, now that I don’t have to force myself to pay the Duke.”

“I see.”

Unlike the Countess, who managed to force a forced smile, Felio showed no reaction whatsoever.

It felt as if he was asking, “Where is that dog barking from?” 

‘Well, I guess it’s the same for the country. Just because a serial killer suddenly claims, ‘I’ve become good!’ who would believe it? Of course, they would think there’s another trick up the sleeve.’

Despite the gloominess, there was no room to be buried in emotions. If she was going to leave the palace without setting herself on fire, she needed to maintain at least some semblance of her image.

***

Having money was undoubtedly a good thing. 

Ermedeline walked to the funeral of Ilyenian Dukedom, wearing a neat yet elegant dress that had been specially tailored. She held a gift to offer her condolences.

As she entered the funeral hall, people who had gathered for the Duke’s funeral split into two groups upon seeing Ermedeline’s arrival.

The majority of them still believed that she was responsible for the epidemic in the capital.

“Would she dare show up here after causing so many deaths?”

“She’s audacious, I’ll give her that.”

“Could it be true that the Empress didn’t really spread the epidemic?”

These whispered comments and suspicions swirled around her.

Ermedeline tried her best to walk gracefully through the silent and intertwined threads of disdain and suspicion, but even the finest fabric couldn’t shield her from the emotional arrows piercing her skin.

Struggling to move her steps forward, she finally reached the open coffin, where a mischievous-looking boy lay with his hands folded, appearing peacefully, as though he was sleeping despite the absence of life.

His plump cheeks and playful lips suggested that he must have been quite a troublemaker during his lifetime. With that small body, he would have surely run around this vast and splendid mansion as freely as he pleased.

Ermedeline, who knew the culprit for certain, felt her heart sinking deeper and deeper.

As she offered her condolences with a composed demeanor, preparing to speak words of comfort to the family, it was at that moment.

Ermedeline felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.

‘What?’

As she suddenly sensed the pain, she looked down and saw a small boy, about chest height, holding a sharp dagger. The blood on the dagger was most likely her own.

Her black dress didn’t show any immediate signs of damage. She removed her gloves and touched the painful spot, and only then did she see the blood seeping out.

“Aaaah!”

With someone’s piercing scream, the funeral hall descended into chaos.

Amid the confusion, Ermedeline regained her composure and looked for Princess Viella.

Among faces turning pale, she found the Princess with unwavering, icy eyes fixed on her.

As the moment passed, people began to gather around Ermedeline.

“Your Majesty!”

The first to approach were the maids who had been serving Ermedeline and Countess Elion.

Fittingly, Felio, who had been attending the funeral, ordered the guards to immediately seal off all exits from the funeral hall.

Perhaps due to the bleeding, her head was spinning.

In the novel, Ermedeline endured numerous assassination attempts. Each time, she had managed to curse the assassins with a fate worse than death, ensuring they suffered rather than met their demise.

“Apply pressure to the wound! Stop the bleeding!” 

Upon Felio’s command, Rooney removed the veil covering Ermedeline’s head and pressed on her abdomen. Excruciating pain soon followed, but Ermedeline knew it was necessary to stop the bleeding, so she gritted her teeth and endured.

All eyes were now on Ermedeline, but their gazes held no surprise or pity. Only curiosity-filled glances remained.

Eyes filled with anticipation, wondering what extraordinary curse the wicked Empress would cast upon her would-be assassin.

Ermedeline struggled to lift her head and looked at the trembling boy sitting before her.

His tear-stained and snotty face was experiencing hyperventilation, making it difficult for him to breathe.

With great effort, Ermedeline took hesitant steps toward the boy.

“Your Majesty, you mustn’t move right now!”

A priest who had been present to conduct the funeral approached Ermedeline to try and tend to her, but after just a couple of steps, she stubbornly walked toward the boy.

The breathless anticipation of those awaiting the next scene filled the air.

Enduring the excruciating pain, Ermedeline knelt down and locked eyes with the boy.

“Calm down. I have no intention of killing you. Lower your head between your knees. Try to breathe as deeply as you can.”

It was a symptom she had occasionally seen in panic children at the orphanage.

Back then, she used to calm her younger siblings down in a similar manner, patiently reassuring them.

‘Oh, I wish I had a paper bag or something like that right now.’

With a heart full of pity, Ermedeline reached out her hand, but the already pale boy’s face grew even paler, and he began to stumble backward.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!!”

“Oh, no… it’s not like that…”

As Ermedeline was about to crawl towards the fleeing boy, she saw a knife coming from somewhere, aimed at the boy’s throat.

“No!”

*Clang!*

The knife was intercepted by Felio, who had been keeping an eye on the situation from behind Ermedeline since the moment the knife struck.

Despite personal feelings of dislike towards Ermedeline, she was the mother of the empire. If Ermedeline had decided to entrust the fate of the boy who had dared to assassinate the Empress to him, Felio would have willingly heeded her request.

However, the witch’s actions were unexpected. Instead of inflicting further pain, she clenched her wounds as if in agony and crawled towards the boy, offering care.

For a moment, Felio was so taken aback that he wondered if he was seeing things.

In the brief moment his attention wavered, he saw a glint of a blade heading towards the boy’s back.

And at the same time, he heard Ermedeline’s voice.

Without hesitation, Felio obeyed her command.

The one who had been attempting to bring the blade down was Duke Ilyenian, the owner of the funeral hall.

“How dare the one who attempted to assassinate the Empress in my house! I will handle this.”

The Duke’s words made Felio briefly glance at Ermedeline.

Nodding.

Having confirmed her intention, Felio firmly blocked the boy with a resolute gaze.

“Guests, please refrain from intervening. This is my house, so it’s only right that I take responsibility.”

Duke Ilyenian, wearing an openly displeased expression, raised his sword once more.

“Enough! Cease this!”

In the midst of it all, Ermedeline, who had received emergency treatment from the priest, stepped in between the two men.

“Am I not allowed to intervene as the Empress of the Trivian Empire? Am I also to refrain from stepping forward?”

Thanks to the Duke’s influence, there were quite a few nobles attending the funeral. While most of them harbored resentment towards Ermedeline, some were fervent supporters of the Emperor’s faction.

Publicly disrespecting the Empress in such a setting was difficult, no matter how tarnished her reputation might be.

And Ermedeline was not a feeble Empress who would allow such a thing to pass.

Under the weight of Illyenian’s prestige, he reluctantly sheathed his sword and bowed his head towards Ermedeline.

“Since such an incident occurred in my house, I will make sure to find the culprit who dared to commit this atrocity.”

“No, there’s no need for that. I will personally take the boy and interrogate him.”

As Ermedeline spoke, the boy, who had only just managed to catch his breath, began to tremble violently once again.

At Ermedeline’s gesture, the guards that Henry had sent in his place reluctantly bound the boy and led him away.

Due to the enormous incident of an attempted assassination of the Empress, the funeral had concluded in a chaotic atmosphere.

“Are you really alright?”

Rooney, her pretty face filled with concern, examined Ermedeline closely.

“I’m fine. How many times do I have to say it? Thanks to the priest’s skilled treatment, I’m already healed.”

“Still, with so much blood… you’re not feeling dizzy or anything?”

Ermedeline shook her head firmly.

It was already the tenth time she had heard the same question.

“Ah! Just stop it! Seriously, because of you asking the same thing over and over, I feel even dizzier!!”

Ermedeline finally exploded with frustration, and while Margo, who was sitting next to her, looked flustered and didn’t know what to do, Rooney paid no heed.

“I’m worried, that’s why! Your majesty lost so much blood, it’s only natural to be concerned!”

Rooney, equally irritated, scolded Ermedeline and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Although the visible wounds had all been healed, it seemed that her internal injuries were not completely healed, as Ermedeline’s face remained pale, and she continued to sweat profusely.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? Honestly, the wound itself didn’t seem that deep…”

Ermedeline tried to force a smile to reassure Rooney, but she couldn’t deny that her condition was deteriorating.

‘There’s no pain at all in the area where I was stabbed. It seems like the wound has completely healed. Why am I feeling so dizzy like this?’

By the time she arrived at the palace, barely conscious, the floor of the carriage was already soaked with her sweat.

“We’ve arrived. I’ll go fetch Louise right away…”

Before Rooney could finish speaking, Ermedeline, who had been leaning on her, lost consciousness.

“Your, Your Majesty!”

***

When Ermedeline finally opened her eyes after what seemed like a long time, it was already deep into the dark of midnight, with all traces of daylight gone.

“Y-Your Majesty! Her Majesty the Empress has awakened! Summon Louise!”

Upon hearing Rooney’s words, Felio, who had been waiting behind Ermedeline, hurriedly dashed out of the room.

“Your Majesty, are you feeling better? Do you recognize where you are?”

Her head was still throbbing, leaving her unable to find the right words to respond.

“Your, Your Majesty, upon arriving at the palace, you lost consciousness and collapsed. Do you remember?”

Ermedeline seemed like she wanted to say something, but her parched lips made no sound when she attempted to speak. Witnessing this, Rooney gently dabbed her lips with a moistened towel.

And, right on time, Priestess Louise arrived.

“Have you awoken?”

Priestess Louise, a middle-aged priest who had rushed to the scene, her face still covered in sweat, carefully wiped Ermedeline’s forehead with a gentle touch. There was a pleasantly cool sensation at her fingertips. Was this what it felt like if she had a mother? Such a whimsical thought crossed Ermedeline’s mind due to her groggy consciousness.

“Your Majesty, are you awake? For now, the purification is all…”

“…here?”

“What?”

A faint sound escaped Ermedeline’s lips, but no one understood her.

“Where is he?”

“Who are you referring to?”

Louise leaned closer to the Empress’s lips to better hear her words.

“That boy, where is he?”