NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 154
An awkward silence hung in the air.
“…….”
“…….”
After a moment, Alexei composed himself and looked at Anriche.
“More importantly, are you okay?”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Anriche stared back at Alexei with a bewildered expression.
“What do you mean?”
“Now that Riche will inherit the title of Saxon Marquis…”
Alexei carefully chose his words.
“I doubt the Marquisess will be pleased about it.”
Ah.
Anriche was taken aback.
Alexei felt a twinge of sympathy for her.
Despite pretending to be fine, Anriche was someone who craved familial love.
If this incident caused her mother to resent her, how would she feel…?
“I heard that when you went to the courthouse with Lily, the Marquisess treated you rudely.”
At that moment, Anriche shrugged her shoulders lightly.
“Well, I’ve decided not to worry about that anymore.”
“Really?”
Alexei’s eyes widened in surprise.
Anriche continued in a cheerful tone.
“I don’t want their love anymore.”
“……But.”
“I just want to live happily with my family.”
As she answered, Anriche met Alexei’s gaze and flashed a shy smile.
“And my family is from Valua.”
“Riche.”
“So, Alexei.”
Anriche spread her arms wide.
“Will you give me a hug?”
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“……”
With a somewhat overwhelmed expression, Alexei pulled her into a warm embrace.
Anriche rested her head gently against his firm chest.
‘I’m really glad Alexei is by my side.’
She closed her eyes slowly.
‘As long as Alexei is with me… I don’t think I’ll have to experience heartache anymore.’
Anriche was well aware that this was an unfounded belief.
Yet she sincerely felt that way.
***
Meanwhile, in the Empress’s palace.
Amidst the chaos of the room, the former Empress lifted her gaze slightly.
“…I see.”
A dry voice escaped her lips.
“Exiled, you say?”
“That is correct, Your Ex-Imperial Majesty,” replied the head maid, who had served the Empress all her life, slowly nodding her head.
In truth, calling her “Your Ex-Imperial Majesty” was incorrect.
From the moment the exile was decreed, her status had changed from “Empress” to “Former Empress.”
Nonetheless, the head maid continued to address her as “Your Ex-Imperial Majesty.”
“What about my son?”
“His Highness the First Prince is… currently residing in the First Prince’s palace.”
That was tantamount to being imprisoned.
“How ridiculous.”
The former Empress twisted her lips into a smirk.
It was a clear sneer.
“Exile, huh? The Emperor wants to keep himself in a virtuous position until the very end.”
He had chosen not to take her life, considering the bond of husband and father.
So she had heard.
‘How petty.’
The former Empress’s sneer deepened.
Looking back, the Emperor had always acted this way.
Every time she dismissed the Second Prince, Frederick, he would gaze at her with a disappointed look.
‘How long will you continue to resent Frederick like a thorn in your side?’
It was the Emperor who first violated a maid to conceive a child.
Thus, the one who made her incapable of loving Frederick was…
…the Emperor himself.
‘If only the Emperor had been faithful to our marriage, then I… I…’
The former Empress clenched her teeth tightly.
If the Emperor had handled things properly from the beginning, she wouldn’t have had to resort to such extreme measures.
All she ever wanted was to love her own child dearly.
That was why she had fought to protect Renald’s rights…
‘Enough.’
The former Empress forced herself to calm the boiling emotions.
After all, it was useless to grieve like this.
The damage was already done.
Just then, the head maid asked her a question.
“What shall we do from now on?”
“……”
The former Empress stared blankly at the head maid.
From the time she was still the Lady of the Anderson family, to becoming the Empress,
and while committing countless wrongdoings to secure the throne for her son,
the head maid had never once left her side.
“Head Maid.”
“Yes, Your Ex-Imperial Majesty.”
The head maid bowed her head slightly.
The former Empress slowly moved closer and stood in front of the head maid.
Crack.
The sound of broken vase shards crunching underfoot echoed loudly.
“You have served me your whole life.”
“……Your Ex-Imperial Majesty.”
“I truly appreciate it.”
Hearing this unexpected expression of gratitude, the head maid’s eyes widened slightly.
“My defeat is already confirmed.”
“That’s…!”
“Valua has won. There is no turning back from this loss.”
Then, suddenly, she posed a question to the head maid.
“Then, how have you perceived me all this time?”
“……What do you mean?”
“I’m talking about what judgments I might make in the face of defeat.”
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The former Empress continued calmly.
“I want to know your opinion as someone who has watched me until now.”
The head maid’s eyes flickered slightly.
But only for a moment.
The head maid composed herself and looked directly at the former Empress.
“Your Ex-Imperial Majesty, while you may acknowledge your defeat…”
A faint strength filled the head maid’s voice.
“You are someone who will find ways to act even within that defeat.”
“Indeed, you’ve seen me that way, haven’t you?”
The former Empress chuckled softly.
“I think it’s true to my nature to act like that.”
The former Empress reached out and gently grasped the head maid’s shoulders.
Gradually, her grip tightened.
“Though I’ve been defeated, I have no intention of meekly submitting like a dog with its tail between its legs.”
“Then…”
“…At the very least, I must repay part of this humiliation.”
A chilling smile spread across the former Empress’s face.
The head maid, looking at her, nodded resolutely.
“I will carry out your orders, Your Majesty.”
***
The morning at the juvenile detention center began early.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The loud sound of someone banging on the iron bars echoed.
Zenith stumbled out of bed.
“It’s breakfast time!”
The guard placed a tray in the serving slot and walked away.
On the meager tray lay a thin soup and a piece of hard black bread.
“……”
Zenith stared down at it.
A sudden sting hit the tip of her nose.
Once, when she was the noble lady of Londini, and even after Londini fell and she was left alone…
‘…I wouldn’t have even glanced at food like this.’
It wasn’t that long ago, yet it felt incredibly distant.
‘No, I still have to eat.’
Determined, Zenith bit into the bread and split it in half.
If she didn’t eat even this meager food regularly, she wouldn’t survive the harsh life of the juvenile detention center.
This was a fact Zenith had learned through personal experience.
Just then…
‘Huh?’
Zenith’s eyes widened slightly.
In the middle of the bread, there was a tightly rolled paper bundle.
‘What’s this…?’
An ominous feeling crept over her.
Zenith looked around warily, confirming that no one was watching her.
Only after she was sure did she pick up the trembling paper bundle with shaking hands.
She carefully unfolded it, trying to avoid making any noise.
‘A ring?’
The first thing to come into her view was a thin ring adorned with a transparent gem.
Swallowing hard, Zenith unfolded the note attached to it.
The brief message written on the note was extremely sharp.
“Don’t forget that I have your parents in my hands.
If you don’t want to see your parents’ corpses, make sure to repay the humiliation I suffered.”
At that moment, Zenith instinctively realized.
It was the former Empress.
The color drained from her face.