Don’t Look for the Resurrected Villainess - Chapter 261

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Side Story 5

The room draped with heavy curtains was gloomy. The room was spacious and filled with all sorts of luxurious furniture, but it was so desolate that no trace of life could be found.

The woman in the gorgeous dress crossed the room with familiarity. It had been quite a while since only one person was allowed to enter and exit this room. The woman was precisely that one person.

The most noble woman in the Empire. The only Empress who had steadfastly maintained her position throughout her life and obediently fulfilled her duties.

“Who…”

“Ah, you’re awake.”

The Empress’s gaze as she looked down at the Emperor lying in bed and breathing roughly held not a trace of warmth.

“Empress.”

The Emperor’s eyes glinted sharply as he recognized the Empress. However, that was only for an instant, and soon he turned his head away powerlessly, avoiding her.

His body was in a terrible state, ruined by secretly accumulated toxins. Not only that. His cognitive abilities were deteriorating day by day to the point where he could feel it himself, and it wasn’t even easy to control his emotions.

Rumors that the Emperor had become violent had been circulating for quite some time. It was probably around the same time that the people who had supported the Emperor began to turn their backs on him one by one.

「His Majesty has gone mad.」

What words were needed? The Emperor had simply been defeated in a power struggle. And by his own child. By his own wife, whom he had never considered threatening at all.

The Emperor, who had believed without doubt that his end would be glorious until the moment he closed his eyes, was now a powerless defeated dog with his tail between his legs.

“Since your mind is clear today, you must sign the documents you’ve been putting off.”

The Emperor’s seal had long since passed into the Empress’s hands. With that alone, she could handle the Empire’s major and minor affairs, but abdication was a slightly different matter.

Abdication required the Emperor’s handwritten signature to prove that his will was involved.

Originally, the Emperor should personally attend the coronation ceremony and pass down the crown, but… appearing with such a body would only result in an unseemly spectacle.

“If your eyes are dim, just hold the pen. I’ll sign with that hand.”

The Empress personally reached out and lifted the Emperor’s upper body. The Emperor, whose body was forcibly raised, let out a sigh-like breath.

“How could you, why are you doing this…”

When the Empress first stabbed him in the back, the Emperor didn’t believe it. Not only that, but no one would believe that the Empress had pointed a blade at the Emperor.

She was a woman who had followed the Emperor’s will throughout her life and maintained her proper place, so everyone thought there was no reason for her to suddenly turn away from the Emperor.

「His Majesty’s mind is not sound, so I will personally look after his well-being and convey his intentions.」

The Empress easily inserted herself into state affairs. Under the pretext of conveying the Emperor’s will, she easily adjusted several matters. As a result, they were things that benefited Heinrih.

Although the succession struggle between Maxel and Heinrih had intensified, there was actually no practical benefit that the Empress could gain by getting involved.

The Empress’s family was still a small family from the borderlands, and even Heinrih, who respected his mother, did not bring maternal relatives into the Imperial Palace. Maxel also did not care for maternal relatives who were of no help to him.

Then what on earth could the Empress gain?

The Emperor had already placed her in the position of the most noble woman in the Empire. There was nothing more she could obtain beyond that.

Rather, if her son ascended the throne early, and especially if he welcomed a young Empress, she would have to give up her position as she became the Empress Dowager.

“What exactly did you promise to receive from that bastard?”

The Emperor, who had been staring blankly at the pen being placed in his hand, asked in a low voice.

It wasn’t the first time he had asked. He had already asked several times and never received an answer. He thought today would be the same. The Empress never spoke more than necessary in this room.

But unexpectedly, a low voice flowed from the Empress’s lips.

“What Your Majesty absolutely refused to give me.”

When an unexpected answer came back, the Emperor’s eyes widened. And soon he began to rack his brains furiously.

The Emperor’s eyes, which had been like dead fish eyes, flashed with a cunning light.

“You are my only wife and the first woman of the Empire, so what could you not have? What reason is there to turn so extremely? Even if you act so cruelly, we are all members of the Imperial family, which will never change, so in the end it’s like cutting off your own body. Even without doing this, I can give you what you desire.”

It was the most energetic voice in weeks. Even while trembling from the side effects of drug addiction, the Emperor stared at the Empress with bloodshot eyes.

The Empress looked at such an Emperor quietly, then lowered her gaze.

“You told me to fulfill my duties since you would place me in the most noble position.”

What she was speaking of was a memory from some very distant past. At that moment, the Emperor, fearing she might lose interest in everything and leave, quickly uttered words of appeasement.

“I am well aware of the hardships you have endured for the stability of the Imperial family throughout your life.”

“My life was not hardship, Your Majesty.”

A faint smile appeared on the calm Empress’s lips.

“It was resignation.”

The Empress stared intently at the Emperor.

“Have you forgotten how you placed me in this palace?”

“I, Empress.”

“The Empress’s duty is to produce an heir. When you said that, do you remember that I was merely a young lady?”

The Emperor’s gaze wavered. Scenes from the distant past that he had forgotten because they were too remote fluttered through his mind like torn picture fragments.

“It’s alright, Your Majesty. I already knew long ago that you had forgotten everything.”

The smile that had been faintly present disappeared as if washed away. The Empress returned to a dry expression and casually placed the documents on the Emperor’s lap.

“As you said, I sat in the most noble position and lived my whole life being served, so you didn’t lie to me.”

“I…”

“So I’m repaying you even now.”

The Empress neither raised her voice nor made her tone rough. But why was it? The Emperor was seized with fear as he looked at the gentle and quiet Empress.

The hand holding the pen trembled violently. The Emperor’s breathing became increasingly rough.

“You asked what I promised to receive from that child?”

The Empress gently reached out her hand. The Empress, who placed her hand over the Emperor’s, moved the pen tip toward the documents.

“Freedom.”

The sharp pen tip moved slowly. Lines broke off and came out crooked. However, the Empress did not let go.

“The freedom to do whatever I want.”

Finally, the pen drew the last line. Looking blankly down at the signature completed regardless of his will, the Emperor panted.

Black ink stained his wrinkled hands.

The Empress smoothly extracted the pen from the Emperor’s noticeably trembling hand. Then she carefully picked up the documents so the ink wouldn’t smudge. Having obtained what she wanted, the Empress let out a long breath.

The Emperor was still sitting there in a daze. Above such an Emperor’s head, the Empress’s calm voice dropped.

“How could I forget Your Majesty’s grace? I will repay it even if I have to devote my entire remaining life.”

Like a noose strangling the neck, it was a declaration without a trace of mercy.

* * *

Having retrieved Bak and Minte, I planned to immediately search for Palides.

The distinctive appearance of a female knight who covered her entire body with armor was too broad and unspecific, but I thought it might work out somehow if I mobilized everything, whether animals or insects.

I was about to go out briefly to see if there were any rumors about a headless woman appearing. However, I didn’t do so because of something I happened to realize.

The fact that the Duke of Roam and the Duchess of Roam were in prison.

「What duke? It’s been ages since his title was stripped, and he’s still talking such nonsense?」

「That’s what I’m saying. The people in charge of the prison side are having such a headache they’re dying.」

「Huh, really. You never know about people’s lives. Who knew Roam would collapse overnight like that?」

「Right. The second young lady who was branded a villainess became the Creator’s Reviver, but the family was completely destroyed.」

「Originally, they say they received divine punishment for not recognizing the Creator’s Reviver and putting her on the execution platform?」

Recalling the conversation between the guards I happened to overhear, my feelings were strange. It wasn’t that I now felt sorry for the completely ruined Roam. I certainly didn’t feel guilty either.

However, I was curious.

‘Come to think of it, I never looked into it specifically.’

I had heard roughly about Roam’s situation from Heinrih. However, that was just words that had flowed by mixed in with numerous casual conversations.

According to what I heard then, Prisian Sister’s body, poisoned, rapidly deteriorated and she eventually died, and Seiri was forcibly transferred to a closed monastery.

Lilia was publicly executed, and Father and Mother, who almost faced public execution together, managed to avoid just that, whether it was unfortunate or fortunate.

Of course, avoiding public execution didn’t mean they were restored. Perhaps they seemed to have been forgotten.

Even without Roam, Heinrih would have many political enemies to deal with, so he couldn’t have dealt with them forever.

Where could they have ever experienced such insignificant treatment? Thinking of Father and Mother, who had never bowed their heads to others in their lives, I naturally headed to the prison.

Not just anyone could enter and exit the prison, but I had the Crown Prince who was about to have his coronation behind me, so there was no problem at all.

「I’ll just take care of urgent business and return, so you must stay quietly in the palace!」

Jeon’s earnest request to me as he had to leave his post due to unavoidable Magic Tower-related work only came to mind when I reached the prison entrance.

Well, it can’t be helped. I didn’t even leave the Imperial Palace, so it should be fine.

Thinking lightly, I stepped into the prison without hesitation. The first thing I felt was a musty smell that was dizzying.

I really couldn’t imagine it. Father and Mother locked up in such a filthy prison.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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