Concubine's Invitation

“The Emperor wants the four of us to be at peace. But how am I supposed to deal with an Empress who acts recklessly like this?”

“It’s not me who is being reckless, but you! Empress Silotte, aren’t you going to say something!?”

Silotte clenched her teeth.

‘Hilaria was too wicked.’

Hilaria had tarnished Silotte’s honor, which she had built up in the Imperial Palace for years. Now Silotte was quiet, but Olivia was a wild card, always acting recklessly. What would she do?

Silotte, who had been pale, glared at Olivia.

“Olivia, don’t act carelessly. Are you saying that Guinevere is of lower status? Apologize to Empress Hilaria right now.”

“Empress Silotte!”

Olivia’s eyes lit up. Hilaria was enjoying the situation.

‘Even if you try to find a way out of this, I won’t let you go.’

Hilaria ran her tongue across her lips. She thought carefully about choosing words that would turn Olivia pale.

“Empress Hilaria.”

The quarrel between the concubines stopped at the sound of a low voice calling Hilaria. It was Svein.

Her neck, which had been stiff before, turned to the source of the voice.

“What’s going on?”

“The Emperor is coming.”

“His Majesty?”

“His Majesty said he wanted to celebrate your first tea party. So he wishes to hand you a gift, but he won’t be staying long.”

Hilaria broke into a laugh. An image of Ebenezer, who hid his cold, fierce presence, always smiling beautifully, filled her mind. Hilaria could feel the warm sunlight that radiated from him, a disguise to hide his darkness.

No matter what the Grand Duke of Guinevere did or who he asked, he couldn’t find out anything about the Emperor. But they knew this, the man named Ebenezer was a person who could abandon anyone without any regrets.

Hilaria, who had seen a glimpse into the future, knew best.

Now Ebenezer was about to throw Hilaria into the Palace as prey. Yet she immediately discovered Ebenezer’s intentions. The four Empresses and the Empress Dowager stood in balance at the Imperial Palace. They all sought Ebenezer’s power.

In other words, he had pretended to be interested in Hilaria and then threw her to them.

‘Look at this?’

Hilaria could feel the Empresses’ gazes. If only eyes could kill a person, Silotte and Olivia would have killed her countless times already.

Hilaria paused to watch them yet was distracted.

‘Tsk.’

Hilaria answered Svein back with a single gesture. She opened her lips as she swept the teacup with her fingertips, appearing elegant enough to have been painted on canvas.

“The Emperor is coming here, so we should all get along, shouldn’t we? If we appear to be fighting, it will leave a bad impression. Empress Olivia and I must make up for that to happen.”

Hilaria smiled brightly. Empress Silotte appeared startled when her eyes met hers. Her eyes, filled with jealousy and tension, widened slightly. Hilaria was once more a wild beast that would tear her apart. Silotte felt like she was already close to death.

Silotte laid her gaze down, and Hilaria nodded to Olivia.

“Shall we walk in the garden for a moment?”

Silotte, Katie, and Celeste looked at Olivia with sad eyes after hearing Hilaria’s words, but no one else noticed.

Olivia sprang to her feet with an arrogant expression.

‘What a witch!’

“Sounds good.”

Everyone let out a sigh.

***

Meanwhile, the ruling family of the Duchy of Guinevere, who had sent Hilaria to the Royal Palace, were wallowing in sorrow.

Hilaria was the only princess in the Duchy of Guinevere. Moreover, everyone loved her, for she was bright and pretty, like a rose in the desert.

“Our Hilaria, I’m worried because she’s just too kind.”

“Mother, please send me to the palace too! I need to protect Hilaria.”

“That’s right! Even though Hilaria is lovely… She’s weak physically and mentally, too soft, so she wouldn’t be able to fight with anyone!”

Her physical strength wasn’t noteworthy, but Hilaria could beat people verbally in the Imperial Palace. She could beat people with just words, and no one, not even her brothers, had ever noticed.

The Grand Duchess and her three sons looked at each other, thinking about who should go to the Imperial Palace.

“I can’t sleep because I’m worried about our Hilaria. Why did I send a child who couldn’t even say a bad word to others to that place?”

“She was being stubborn. Duchess, we need to bring Hilaria back right away…”

“That would be like declaring war. The Emperor said that no one from our family should step into the Imperial Palace!”

“Damn that playboy emperor!” said the Duchess with a disgruntled face.

“Mother, you have to be careful with what you say. Who knows who could be listening… It wouldn’t be good for Hilaria. She must be having a hard enough time as it is.”

“I’m fortunate to have Beatrice. After all, she is from the Capital, so she’s very articulate. I’m sure she’ll protect Hilaria.”

Their image of her from the day of her birth was of someone weak who needed protection. To them, Hilaria was as fragile as glass and as soft as a feather.

If she hadn’t been so stubborn, she would never have been sent to the Imperial Palace. It was humiliating. They couldn’t believe how many people entrusted their lives to Hilaria, who was so kind and weak.

“And isn’t there a young boy named Kartal, Sebastian’s son, that Hilaria sent our way? You should train him well and send him to the Imperial Palace. Guinevere cannot cross into the Imperial Castle, but Kartal can. He’s not even a full knight and hasn’t made an oath to Guinevere.”

“How has his training progressed?”

“He is now at the level of wielding a sword, just about.”

The eldest son sighed deeply and said,

“Go and train him. Our Hilaria will get hurt before he becomes a knight at this rate!”

“Yes, Mother.”

***

As Hilaria concentrated, golden butterflies flew into the sky. The butterflies melted and died wherever the Emperor got too close, so she wanted to collect the butterflies around her in advance.

The butterflies fluttered to Hilaria.

Olivia, chasing after Hilaria, did not notice the numerous butterflies.

‘Those shoes are 200,000 gold, that hair ornament is 300,000 gold. I heard that Guinevere is rich, and now I know that’s no lie.’

Checking Hilaria’s outfit made Olivia’s stomach hurt. She acted like some witch, and even with such a pretty appearance, she was hard to look at.

And now, Ebenezer was coming to give the newly-declared Empress a present for her tea party!

‘Does this make sense? In what way does this woman surpass me?’

Olivia chuckled.

‘It’s because she is a witch!’ Olivia’s father’s voice was ringing in her ears.

‘These men! Don’t they know they have to watch out for witches?’

That is why Olivia deserved to be in the Imperial Palace.

“The garden is beautiful. It has a different charm from Guinevere’s garden.”

In the middle of this affair, Hilaria started to talk about the garden leisurely.

The splendor and grandeur of the Steel Rose gardens were indescribable. There was even an artificial lake there.

“…The Steel Rose Palace is wonderful. It’s my first time seeing it in person.”

Hilaria glanced behind her and smiled softly. She hadn’t asked Olivia to follow her to make amends. It was to blackmail Olivia and force her to leave before the Emperor arrived.

But Olivia’s thoughts seemed too transparent.

‘Even if I look like a fool, that doesn’t mean I am one!.’

Hilaria’s steps gradually became lighter. As if reacting to her mood, the butterflies that had been flying started to dance around. If Katie had been there, she would have freaked out and stopped it from happening.

“I’m glad you are here as an Empress, and I’m jealous that you got the Steel Rose Palace. But shouldn’t a person act more humbly? Especially if you want to build favor with His Majesty the Emperor.”

Hilaria slowed down her steps to the point where Olivia didn’t notice. Then, as if she had been waiting, Olivia pushed Hilaria into the lake.

The lake wasn’t deep enough to be dangerous, but it was deep enough to humiliate anyone who fell in.

Hilaria smirked, feeling her body tilt.

“So don’t blame me because it’s all just to help you out.”

Olivia smiled excitedly, but there was something she couldn’t know. Hilaria may not have been strong, but she had never neglected to train her body since coming from Guinevere. Not for any reason. Like a coiled viper, she twisted and pulled Olivia around her before she could even hope to react.

Hilaria and Olivia’s positions quickly changed.

“Uhh, uh, uh!”

Olivia screamed as she had no idea Hilaria was capable of something like this. Just before she fell into the lake, Hilaria’s hand grabbed her by the collar. Now, technically, Olivia was floating on the surface of the lake.

Hilaria’s butterflies supported her, as Olivia had no idea how to react.

“W-what are you doing? Let go!”

“Really?”

Hilaria tilted her head as if she could really let her go.

“All right, then.”

Hilaria spoke softly and released her hand.

Olivia closed her eyes tightly and screamed,

“Aaah!”

But strangely, her body did not fall into the lake. The water didn’t splash, and her dress didn’t get wet. Olivia opened her eyes slightly.

Olivia was floating in the air. That’s why she had remained dry.

“H-how?”

Hilaria narrowed her eyes and looked at Olivia, floating in the air. Her golden butterflies fluttered and supported Olivia’s buttocks.

Their wings flapped wildly as if full of dissatisfaction. Hilaria put the tip of her hand fan against Olivia’s chin.

“Olivia, did you think that would be funny? Did you think this stupid trick would fool me?”

“Hilaria!!!”

“Shh, be quiet. I have a headache.”

Hilaria pressed her lips.

“You’re being very naughty. Stop playing these games and listen to what I tell you.”

“What do you mean?! You’re the one who’s messing with me, Hilaria! You are nothing without your rank and heritage!”

Her quick wit and intelligence. Her stunning looks. Her wealth. There was a lot more to her than just her heritage.

Hilaria smiled softly.

Seeing how naive she was about this, Hilaria whispered.

“You might end up like Empress Venice, Olivia.”

“W-what are you talking about?!”

Olivia’s face turned white. She didn’t understand what Hilaria was saying. Like a warning, a bright red light seemed to flash in front of her. It was not something Hilaria, who had just entered the Palace, could have found out. From the source of the poison to the sale, she had been meticulous. She had even killed most of those involved. Could it be Count Sebastian who had let her down?

Even Silotte was none the wiser to the truth.

“How do you know?”

Olivia asked in a suppressed voice. However, her voice didn’t sound intimidating; it was more like she was in a panic. Her heart pounded at the thought of being caught up in her deceptions.

Even though Empress Venice was out of the Emperor’s sight, she was still a member of the Imperial Palace. So she wouldn’t escape death!

“Don’t be afraid, Olivia. I won’t say anything as long as you keep quiet and lie flat like the dead mouse you are. After all, I have a lot of work to do.”

Hilaria tapped Olivia’s chin with her fan.

Silotte had threatened Hilaria by targetting her weaknesses.

But Silotte was bound by her web and would not be able to escape from Hilaria.

But, Olivia,

‘You’re trying to kill me.’

Olivia’s eyes flashed with anger and hatred. Hilaria pursed her lips. She was someone who would rush to kill someone once she knew their weakness.

“You can’t do that.”

Hilaria whispered softly. At the same time, the butterflies scattered in unison.

Splash!

Olivia fell into the lake, and water splashed everywhere.

Katie and Celeste had run out to block Olivia, who had jumped out of the lake looking like a wet mouse, from trying to rush at Hilaria.

Although the Emperor had arrived, the two hadn’t returned from their walk, so he came just to see Olivia rushing towards Hilaria.

‘Why the hell are you throwing your life away?’

“No! Your Majesty, the Emperor is looking for you! I mean, he’s already arrived!”

“It’s not good for His Majesty to see you fight, Empress Olivia!”

“That b*tch pushed me! She dropped me into the lake!”

Olivia screamed.

However, Hilaria was so far away that she couldn’t possibly have pushed Olivia. She let out a small sigh as Hilaria made a sad face.

“It’s not a good habit to blame others like that, Empress Olivia. You must have stumbled on your own feet.”

“Aaah! Hilaria!!!”

Ebenezer appeared behind Hilaria. He had come all the way here to find them. Following Ebenezer, there was Svein, Van Eyck, Silotte, and Jaina.

They all saw Hilaria standing far away from Olivia. Hilaria knew that people had been getting closer by the sound of the butterflies and had stepped back. But there had been another reason.

‘You must be so frustrated.’

It was because Hilaria wanted to see Olivia shivering.

The Emperor called Hilaria and Olivia.

“Empress Hilaria, Empress Olivia.”

“Hilaria, greet His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Your Majesty, please save me from this injustice! Empress Hilaria pushed me….”

“Enough.”

Ebenezer raised his right hand and said with a frown,

“Everyone here saw you fall alone. Stop it, Empress Olivia. And what are the maids of Begonia Palace doing, not rushing to their master? What if Empress Olivia catches a cold?”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

At Ebenezer’s command, Begonia Palace’s maids supported Olivia and quickly withdrew. Olivia’s absent-minded gaze looked at Ebenezer.

Hilaria smiled.

“It’s tough. I’m not used to being accused like this.”

“Empress Hilaria.”

Ebenezer grinned as if it was a fun situation. However, that smile soon disappeared. He was immediately aware of Hilaria’s intense energy circling over the lake. Ebenezer pretended not to notice and held out a box to Hilaria.

The box contained a necklace studded with gold topaz. Ebenezer whispered in a low voice.

“It’s a necklace that resembles your eyes.”

Hilaria’s heart was pounding.

‘My eyes are… gold?’