Chapter 152
She had planned for Euclid, after becoming Crown Prince, to grow drunk on his own brilliance, become arrogant, abuse his divine power, and meet his end at the hands of monsters. Yet instead, he swept away the empire’s hell and became a savior who rescued everyone. In the end, Cressida had only set the stage oh so conveniently for him.
“Crown Prince, Crown Prince!”
Seething with rage, Cressida spat out the words ‘Crown Prince’. The seat she had once wanted to give to her own son had now become a word that referred to someone who filled her with fury.
“Y-Your Majesty the Empress…”
As the Empress vented her anger by throwing objects, a lady-in-waiting cautiously approached her. Seeing the woman hesitate as if she had something to report, Cressida snapped sharply.
“What is it?”
“Someone has come from Beloren.”
“Beloren. You mean Aria’s family?”
“Yes. Aria’s younger sister has come looking for her elder sister. Shall I send her away?”
At the maid’s question, Cressida was about to order her to be turned away at once, but she stopped. Her eyes darted from side to side, then a chilling smile spread across her face. Straightening her posture, Cressida spoke elegantly, as if she had never thrown a fit.
“It has been quite some time since I last saw Irina. Let her in. I’ll see her in the reception room next door.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Once the lady-in-waiting withdrew, Cressida walked up to a full-length mirror. The moment she stood before it, the maids hurried over. They quickly smoothed the strands of hair that had come loose during her outburst and straightened her disheveled garments.
Transformed into a gentle Empress in the blink of an eye, Cressida smiled in satisfaction at her reflection.
“I will meet with Irina alone.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
At Cressida’s command, the maids bowed in unison. She left the room that had been left in shambles by the objects she had thrown and entered the brightly adorned reception room.
“I greet the Moon of the Empire. I am Irina Beloren.”
A woman with flaxen hair and porcelain skin bowed in greeting to Cressida. Her atmosphere resembled that of her catlike elder sister Aria, yet her face looked far gentler than her sister’s as Irina spoke.
“Please forgive the rudeness of visiting so abruptly while the imperial palace is still in chaos. I was too worried about my elder sister to remain still.”
“It has been a long time, Irina. Sit.”
Cressida spoke kindly as she offered her a seat. Then, with a leisurely smile, she continued.
“You’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you. You used to look like nothing but a child. You’ve come of age this year, haven’t you?”
“Yes. I just celebrated my twentieth birthday.”
“I believe Aria mentioned that as well. So, what brings you all the way to the imperial palace?”
At Cressida’s question, Irina, who had been answering obediently, lifted her head. Unable to hide the urgency in her expression, she spoke.
“Actually, I haven’t been able to contact my sister since last month. I asked the ladies-in-waiting as well, but they all said they didn’t know.”
“Oh dear.”
Cressida sighed as if listening attentively to Irina’s words. She lowered her gaze, forcing down the corners of her mouth that wanted to curl upward on their own.
The Beloren Countdom, Aria’s family, still did not know that their daughter was dead. Under normal circumstances, Cressida would have handled it immediately, but this time she had been too busy opening the Maws, and the cleanup had been delayed.
“How should I even say this.”
Cressida stalled as she looked at Irina. When they were young, Aria had lovingly cared for her sickly younger sister. Even after Irina recovered her health, the sisters remained exceptionally close. Close enough that the younger sister would come all the way to the imperial palace out of concern for her elder sister.
With a bond like that, just how far would Irina be willing to go for her sister. Cressida suddenly found herself curious.
“Irina. Calm yourself and listen carefully. Your sister is dead.”
“…What?”
Irina’s face was drained of all color. Her hands, which had been trembling with worry over her sister, shook violently.
“What do you mean…?”
“Aria, that child, well…”
Cressida lifted a hand to her eyes as if in grief. Covering her mouth so Irina could not see, she struggled to suppress her laughter.
To think things would go this smoothly.
For her dead sister, Irina would willingly move. And if that sister had died because of the Crown Prince, she would surely burn for revenge.
Moreover, Irina was well suited in every way. The Beloren Countdom was more than sufficient as a match for Arendtert. To think that the child she had regarded only as Aria’s young sister would come to her of her own accord the moment she reached adulthood.
As expected. God had not yet abandoned her. Squeezing out tears that did not exist, Cressida curved her lips into a faint smile.
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