Chap 22

"I heard an interesting story after parting with Her Majesty the Empress this morning."

"What story?"

"Do you know Ferdinand?"

Again. That name that pops up whenever she tries to forget it.

"Why that name?"

"The Count is keeping a close watch on the child."

"Is that so?"

It's easy to pretend not to know since she really doesn't know anything.

"The child imprisoned in the Count's estate is heading to the capital."

"...."

If François, the Count, keeps mentioning that name, then that child must surely be significant to her previous owner.

But all she knows about that child now is his name and a tiny portrait.

A relationship that could easily be called a stranger.

When Ermedillin didn't respond, Pellio drove a cold smile and a dagger into her heart as if he knew she would react that way.

"It's no wonder you're called a witch. Seeing that collecting borrowed money is more important to you than the safety of your child."

"Child?"

"Don't play dumb. Ferdinand, isn't he the illegitimate child born to Her Majesty the Empress before she entered the palace?"

"??"

Ermedillin was genuinely surprised.

Though her nickname in the novel was 'Immoral Empress', and she did meet many lovers in real life, an illegitimate child?

That was a story never mentioned in the original work.

Utterly taken aback, Ermedillin could not react, and Pellio's tone became even more scornful, thinking her attitude was an act.

"Count François's careful treatment of the child was suspicious, so I thoroughly investigated him. So don't even think about playing dumb. But even without investigation, I knew just by looking at his face. That the child is Her Majesty the Empress's bloodline. And yet, you pretend not to know… I truly don't know how to respond."

Pellio's frozen eyes and sharp voice tore at Ermedillin's heart, creating an even deeper wound, while he turned as if his business was finished and gathered his documents.

"The child born before becoming the empress won't amount to treason, but the emperor should have known this fact and consented to the marriage."

The feeling was not like being hit hard on the head with a hammer, but rather like someone scratching inside the head with sharp nails.

Ferdinand.

I tried hard to ignore it, but every time I heard that unfamiliar name, my heart raced, seemingly ready to burst, contrary to the indifferent will of its owner.

Even though my heart was usually unresponsive, even when angry or surprised, it went wild every time that name came up.

'A son…'

Now I understand why my heart reacted so strongly to that name.

Even though the soul has left the flesh, the feelings for a son seem to have been engraved in the heart that remained in the body.

"Haah. It drives me crazy."

A hidden son from the empress. And a bastard, at that.

I wish the past of the villain had been detailed, but it seems the author didn't want to arouse sympathy for Ermedillin, so her past deeds were hardly mentioned in the original novel.

'Such an important matter should have been described in the original novel.'

But there's no use in blaming since the author wouldn't have known that one reader would reincarnate into the villainess, Ermedillin.

Fortunately, the original was set in medieval Europe, where ladies often went through several strategic marriages, but Ermedillin was not an ordinary noblewoman, but an empress.

It's not a child from a previous husband but a bastard. It would certainly be a massive scandal.

'Does Henri know about this?'

If he knew, it might not be a big problem.

But if he didn't, or even if he did and denied knowing, the empress's already compromised image would be beyond redemption.

'Surely they wouldn't be harsh to the child? They must have brought him to the capital for negotiation.'

'No, even though he's a bastard, isn't he a grandson? He looks just like him; was he raised in the underground dungeon?'

Once my concern for my safety passed, my mind immediately turned to the child.

I became more worried because the count had made several horrifying threats about the child.

'Surely, even though he's his own grandson, he wouldn't do something… would he?'

"Contact the count. Tell him to enter the palace again."

Ermedillin, who had been trying to feign ignorance, could not ignore her wildly beating heart and decided to talk to the count again.

The count entered the palace as if he had been waiting.

"How dare you...."

"Where is he?"

"What?"

"Ferdinand, where is he?"

"Where is he?"

Suspicion was reflected in the count's purple eyes.

"You brought him to the capital?"

"Ah, um, yes, I brought him."

"Is he injured anywhere?"

Upon Ermedillin's question, Count François looked up and down his daughter as if searching for something.

"Not yet. I'm still deciding whether to cut his throat in front of you or to make him a witness in court."

Ermedillin felt a vein pop in her forehead.

Speaking such crude words about cutting his grandson's throat in front of his own daughter, even though he's a terrible parent.

Ermedillin pitied the child who had lived under such a person, imprisoned in a dungeon.

"If you injure even a single finger of that child, it will not end with just losing your fortune."

"Really? What are you going to do about it? What can you do?"

"There are many things I can do. Curses, you know? You, Count, must know well, right? There are curses that can make one more miserable than death."

Certainly, the original Ermedillin may have been a villain, but when it came to curses, she was unrivaled.

The count's eyes, which had been full of bravado until just a moment ago, began to tremble at Ermedillin's threat.

"A curse? Yes. That's all you can do. Go ahead and try if you don't care what happens to your son."

"Ugh!!"

After the Duke of François left, Ermedillin leaned on her pillow and screamed.

A deep irritation welled up from the bottom of her heart.

The scoundrel of a father had been abusing not only his daughter but also his grandson.

'Why! Why did I get stuck with this role! What do you want me to do!'

Meanwhile, Pellio, who had parted from Ermedillin, did not leave the palace immediately but headed to Henri.

"Did you know?"

Pellio, frustrated by Henri's lack of expression even after reading the content of the report he had submitted, couldn't wait any longer and asked.

"Is that important?"

"It is important. If the Duke mentions the child in court tomorrow, public opinion will...."

"Ah, I'll take care of public opinion. So go back."

"You just let it go?"

Henri's graceful eyebrow twitched momentarily at Pellio's repeated question.

"The Duke doesn't need to know. The Empress is my wife, and I intend to handle my family's affairs myself."

It was a wellknown fact to all the people that Emperor Henri despised the Empress.

Of course, people didn't know the detailed circumstances that the Emperor had reluctantly married the Empress, leaving his longtime lover, in exchange for keeping secret the use of the curse of the François family to eliminate his rival halfbrothers.

But one thing everyone knew for sure.

Henri never once shared a bed with the Empress throughout his married life.

This fact was not treated as a secret, as Vallier subtly let it slip.

True to the rumors, the Emperor always had Vallier by his side, whether at the founding ceremony, the renovation ceremony, or even on the National Spirit Day.

He also openly ignored the Empress in public places.

And now he's calling the Empress his family?

The Emperor, who didn't bat an eye at the report that his wife had an illegitimate child.

Pellio felt confused by his sudden doublesided attitude of calling the Empress his wife.

Pellio, who couldn't accept Henri's attitude, had many more questions, but since the Emperor forbade any further inquiries, he had no choice but to withdraw quietly.

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