Concubine's Invitation

Hilaria’s eyes were blue.

Her eyes only turned gold when the butterflies fluttered. However, Ebenezer had clearly said that this topaz resembled her eyes.

Hilaria bit her lip in nervousness.

‘Did he notice something?’

However, she knew she couldn’t give anything away, so Hilaria asked, tilting her head.

“My eyes are blue, Your Majesty.”

“Of course they are. But doesn’t this necklace pendant look like the Empress’s eyes?”

Ebenezer smiled brightly. He couldn’t help but notice Hilaria’s hesitation.

‘As expected.’

The sound of butterflies flapping their wings in the Imperial Palace started to increase in pitch. The butterflies began to sway, influenced by Hilaria’s agitation.

However, Ebenezer intended to keep quiet about his knowledge of Hilaria’s butterflies. He noticed the butterflies resembled Hilaria, who was gazing at him sharply.

Ebenezer whispered with a calm face as if he could hear nothing.

“Empress Hilaria, may I hang the necklace for you?”

“…Of course.”

Ebenezer went behind Hilaria, took off her necklace, and hung the new one.

‘Umph!’

Even the slightest wind seemed to have stopped. Ebenezer’s delicate fingers brushed the nape of Hilaria’s neck. His hands were cold.

Hilaria was harnessing her fire spirit, so her body temperature was slightly higher than that of others. Ebenezer, by contrast, felt colder. She felt as if his fingers were touching every part of her.

The Emperor’s eyes looked down as Ebenezer set Hilaria’s hair to her neck. The scene of Ebenezer looking at Hilaria’s neck was somewhat obscene, and those who watched held their breath.

The thick, cold metal of the chain wrapped around Hilaria’s neck, almost snakelike in its hold. It felt like Ebenezer’s hand was there in its stead. She felt her ears turn red. It was the first time a man had touched her in this way.

Ebenezer’s delicate eyes were filled with contentment, looking at Hilaria’s fair cheek. Hilaria’s mouth slightly stiffened as if to hide embarrassment.

“Cute.”

He said it quietly so that only she could hear.

The moment the startled Hilaria turned her head, the Emperor stepped back.

“As expected, it suits you well. I’m glad I chose something that almost appears made for you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Hilaria answered in a stern voice.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, I love it.”

Ebenezer smiled softly at Hilaria’s answer.

“Then I’m pleased as well. These intruders will leave now, so the three of you can relax; please have a good time.”

Everyone gave the Emperor a courtesy; Van Eyck glanced at Hilaria.

There was nothing unusual about Hilaria, who was still staring at Ebenezer.

‘It’s just that those blue eyes are strangely eye-catching?’

They had something unique about them that was different from Ebenezer’s eyes. She was also a beauty that people couldn’t make heads or tails of.

But more than that, Hilaria’s eyes…

“Van Eyck.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Van Eyck answered quickly.

“You’d better watch your eyes. She’s a witch, isn’t she? And if she possesses you, even I can’t take responsibility for it.”

It was a playful remark, but it felt like a harsh blow. Van Eyck bowed his head.

“You’re not saying that because you like her, are you?”

Ebenezer smiled without answering.

“Are you sure?”

Svein asked after him.

No one in the Imperial Palace was more interested in Ebenezer’s love story than Svein.

Meanwhile, Hilaria, who had been left behind, swallowed a sigh.

‘I’m cute? Cute?’

Even if the Emperor’s tastes were unusual, she’d never heard anyone express them like that. How could the Emperor think Hilaria was cute? She was beautiful!

Hilaria shook her head slightly. She had only been with him for a few minutes, and Ebenezer had already stirred her up.

‘Get a hold of yourself!’

Hilaria covered her face with a fan and turned to Silotte and Jaina.

They were staring at Hilaria.

It was the first time they had seen Ebenezer being so friendly to a woman. He had even hung the necklace himself. If Queen Olivia had seen this, she would be seething and screaming.

Silotte ran her tongue through her dry mouth. She could hear the Imperial court moving forward. She didn’t know what was going on between the Emperor and Hilaria right now. The important thing was that no Empress had made a move on the Emperor.

“I’m going back for tea. I think the walk was too long.”

Silotte and Jaina nodded, enchanted.

***

After dinner and getting ready for bed, Hilaria waved her hand.

“Both of you get out.”

“But, Madam,”

Katie called her with an anxious look; She felt uneasy leaving Hilaria alone. Olivia’s life was in danger because of her actions, but…

Still, there needed to be at least one person to keep an eye on her.

“That’s enough. I’ll take care of myself.”

At Hilaria’s demand, Katie had to leave with a worried expression. Celeste and Katie looked inside the room until the moment the door closed.

Celeste asked Katie cautiously.

“Are you okay?”

Katie glanced at Celeste and replied.

“There’s no problem. No matter what she does, at least Madam Hilaria won’t get hurt. She’ll be fine.”

Without realizing it, Celeste trembled.

You reap what you sow.

Celeste didn’t know Katie, but she looked exactly like Hilaria.

“Did Madam change her mind about all this?”

“What do you mean?”

“No. His Majesty and Madam seemed to get along well. The Emperor himself gave her a present as well.”

She couldn’t quite place why, but that scene had been almost seductive; Celeste’s face turned red.

“Oh, it’s quite hot here.”

“Don’t say that in front of the Madam. Don’t get in trouble.”

“Why? Wouldn’t it be nice to get along with His Majesty the Emperor?”

Katie looked down the hallway with an anxious expression on her face. It seemed that Hilaria’s butterfly was eavesdropping on their conversation wherever she was.

The Emperor feels that way towards Hilaria!? What nonsense is that?

If Hilaria found out, Katie and Celeste would indeed be burned for indecency. Katie quivered and shot back at Celeste.

“Don’t say that! Madam Hilaria has no interest in the Emperor!”

***

It wasn’t Hilaria who overheard Katie’s conversation with Celeste but someone else.

“Not interested…”

The man laughed crookedly.

He didn’t like that for some reason.

A golden butterfly shivered and trembled on his long fingers. The chilly air threatened to melt the butterfly. Thanks to the mans will, the butterfly could survive despite the intense energy surrounding it.

Because the man didn’t want this butterfly to die.

“It’s a fire spirit.”

It was a soft, low voice like flowing water.

An icy chill wind rocked the butterfly. The owner of the finger was Ebenezer. A butterfly flying through the palace had been captured alive.

The butterfly felt hot to the touch and reminded him of when he had touched Hilaria.

“Your master doesn’t seem to like me.”

The butterfly flapped its wings faintly as if incapable of accomodating flight. It looked like it was eager to please Ebenezer.

He had watched spirits perish just by going near him. He didn’t want her to share that fate. Ebenezer laughed a little.

He snapped his fingers, and a cage made of ice appeared on the table. Ebenezer had formed it instantly by freezing the moisture in the air.

Ebenezer put the butterfly in the cage.

The gaps between the cage bars were wide, but the butterfly could not fly because of the cold. Its connection to Hilaria had been severed. Ebenezer pointed at the cage with the same finger he had held the butterfly. The heat of the butterfly suddenly dissipated.

“What should I call you now?”

Ebenezer smiled.

“Hil. I should call you Hil.”

The butterfly flapped its wings quickly as if it liked its name.

***

Meanwhile, Hilaria was staring at the necklace given to her by Ebenezer as if it was about to burst into flame.

Hilaria’s eyes gleamed with gold. The mana stones she had eaten beforehand were melting inside of her.

‘The pendant looks like me?’

She couldn’t tell if it was a simple lie or the truth. After all, Ebenezer was the most mysterious person in the palace. She couldn’t even attach the butterflies to him…

“What are you up to, Ebenezer?”

Ebenezer seemed to be wrapped in a veil. Ebenezer was the son of the late Empress, not the current Empress Dowager. So although he was the son of the Emperor, he was not a strong candidate for the throne.

The nobles followed Prince Nathan, and his mother’s strong family supported him further.

On the other hand, the people of the Empire preferred Ebenezer to Nathan. Even though he had lost his mother when he was very young, Ebenezer was noble in everything he did and acted calmly, always in control.

Ebenezer’s beautiful appearance must have also played a part.

The people were taking it for granted that Ebenezer would become the next Emperor. The problem was that one could not become an Emperor with only the support of the people. Prince Nathan wasn’t ideal, but he was good enough to be accepted as the next best option.

However, somehow, Ebenezer exiled Nathan as a traitor and became the Emperor. The process was shrouded in secrecy, and even Guinevere and its spies were incapable of learning the truth. It was speculated that the late Emperor, who had been fond of Ebenezer, had left something to him.

‘…I must have come to a more dangerous place than I thought.’

Since entering the Imperial Palace, this was the first time she had experienced fear. Hilaria held her breath.

Moreover, she couldn’t let the butterflies go near Ebenezer. It was clear that he also had particular abilities.

‘The Imperial family has had no powers from generation to generation. Does that mean, it’s from your mother’s side?’

Hilaria couldn’t be sure of anything.

Fortunately, Ebenezer was still holding her in positive standing. He had accepted a deal with Hilaria. He had also confirmed that he wouldn’t interfere with her catching the raccoon.

But it was strangely terrifying.

“What are you exactly?”

Hilaria grumbled a little.

Hilaria, holding the necklace with her hands, pouted her lips. It seemed that she had to meet Beatrice tomorrow. Beatrice would be able to dig into Ebenezer’s past.

Hilaria snapped her fingers. A butterfly appeared before her eyes and fluttered its wings at her will.

“Go to Beatrice.”

Once the command had been given, it broke through the closed balcony window and melted into the night sky. The golden butterfly shot through the sky like a star, one that would grant any wish.

***

Ebenezer and Hilaria weren’t the only ones who couldn’t sleep that night.

Olivia gritted her teeth.

“What a disgrace! Why did the Emperor take her side? It’s obvious I was pushed!”

Olivia threw expensive ornaments around the room in a fit of anger.

Fleurette, the maid, who was watching her silently, said.

“Calm down, Madam.”

“Do I look like I’m angry right now?”

“To the others, Madam seemed to have fallen in unaided. Of course, I believe what Madam is saying. It must have been some kind of trick set up by that witch.”

“Ha. What a witch!”

Olivia gritted her teeth. She couldn’t forget Ebenezer’s cold eyes as he glared at her.

Why would Ebenezer treat her like that? No one cares more about and loves him as much as Olivia does. Didn’t Empress Dowager also appoint Count Eramos for that reason?

Even though the Emperor was not Empress Dowager’s son, she still cared deeply about him.

‘Actually, it doesn’t matter whether he likes me or not. If only that old raccoon keeps his promise to make me Empress!’

Olivia walked through her room.

“A witch, witch!”

The word “witch” was used lightly, but 300 years ago, things were very different. The stigma of being a witch was equivalent to a death sentence. People were afraid of people with superior abilities. The witches communicated with the spirits that others could not see and used them to any advantage. This hidden power created fear and panic.

The Emperor 300 years ago conducted a national witch hunt due to the levels of fear that had been built up. Much blood was shed, and the witches disappeared in the fog of death.

“A Witch…”

Olivia grinned eerily.

“Fleurette.”

“Yes, Madam.”

“Send someone, in secret, to Guinevere without my father knowing.”

“What?”

“Find evidence that Empress Hilaria is a witch. We will be able to bring down both Guinevere and Empress Hilaria at the same time once we have real proof of it!”

Fleurette’s face turned pale.

Finding evidence to prove that she is a witch! It was a scary thing to ask. Information like that was something that could shake the foundations of the Duchy of Guinevere. It would tarnish not only Hilaria’s but also the Red Queen’s honor.

The Emperor would never allow such a thing.

The Red Queen had long ago made an outstanding contribution to unifying the small countries in the south 300 years ago and had also ended the witch hunt. She was a Princess and Knight of the Empire who established the Duchy of Guinevere under the new title of “The Red Queen.”

“Madam, it’s too dangerous. It’s part of history… It would shake things up too much.”

Fleurette whispered in a strangled voice.

If Hilaria was a witch, it meant that the family of Guinevere, which has extended down for generations, had come from witchcraft.

“Why does it matter? She’s in the way of me becoming an Empress! Shouldn’t we put her away however we can?”

Olivia snapped back in a cold voice.

Fleurette’s hand trembled at the sight of Olivia, so drenched in desire she couldn’t look ahead and see the damage she could cause.

“Th-the Emperor will never lift his hand.”

“Well, then, the Empress Dowager will lift her hand. Even if Hilaria is not a witch, we must find proof that she is. We may need to… make some evidence.”

Olivia smiled.

“I would do anything to have Ebenezer.”