Chapter 28 : A Grand Battle

When people are asked to picture an empire, most would answer with war.

And it’s no surprise—after all, the empire’s conquests have continued for nearly three centuries.

In other words, the previous emperor’s obsession with war, bordering on madness, could almost be considered hereditary.

War and the empire had always been inseparable.

“End the war? Not just a truce?”

“Yes, it was a clear proposal for a formal end to the war. They even stated that if certain conditions were met, they would consider it a defeat for the empire and conclude the war.”

“If it’s considered the empire’s defeat… that means I’ll go down in history as the empress of a fallen nation…”

A disgraceful achievement—shamefully bringing an end to a tradition that had lasted for three centuries.

As long as the empire existed, its people would forever curse and criticize that decision.

Ariel, the empress, must have known that better than anyone.

“What was the atmosphere like after receiving the empress’s proposal?”

“It was similar to the reaction you’re showing now, Lord Siyoon. Most people couldn’t believe it.”

“And how did the allied forces respond?”

“They decided to put the agreement on hold until the empire provided detailed terms. There’s always the possibility that it’s a trap.”

Of course, no one would be foolish enough to immediately accept an offer of peace.

Naturally, they would first doubt the empire’s true intentions.

However, having been by Empress Ariel’s side for the past ten years, I had a vague understanding.

She intended to end the war while she was still in power.

“Did she ever mention anything about this to you when you were still in the empire?”

“Not at all. I never saw her give even the slightest hint about ending the war.”

“My lord, if you had known, you wouldn’t be this surprised right now.”

“Now that you mention it, you’re right.”

I had no clue.

Something must have changed within Empress Ariel after I left, leading her to make this decision.

I clearly remember that before the succession ceremony, she had no intention of ending the war.

“Then what could she possibly be thinking in proposing this peace agreement?”

“I have no idea. We’ll know once we see the conditions she demands.”

“I’ll report any further updates to both of you immediately.”

For now, all I could do was wait calmly, as it was too soon to make any judgments.

Peace should be a good thing.

And yet, I felt an inexplicable unease.

I could only hope nothing would go wrong.

On the palace terrace, Ariel gazed up at the star-strewn night sky.

Leaning against the railing, resting her chin on her hand, she stood there absentmindedly.

She looked like someone deep in thought, troubled by something.

A shadow slowly approached her.

“By the way, what could our empress be thinking so intently about?”

“Melinda’s disciple.”

“You’re not even trying to hide it? Your honesty is refreshing, I must say.”

Melinda leaned against the terrace railing, holding a wine glass filled to the brim.

Despite gulping down the wine like beer—something meant to be savored—Ariel’s attention remained elsewhere.

“Most emperors and nobles would be horrified to see me drink like this, but this girl is different.”

That only meant her concerns ran deep.

The fact that the subject of the conversation was her own disciple made it difficult for Melinda to simply ignore it.

She placed her wine glass on the railing and cleared her throat to get Ariel’s attention.

“Ahem! May I ask why you were thinking about that disciple of mine?”

“It’s nothing special. I just realized that a place that was always filled is now empty, and that made me think of him.”

“How can that not be something special? That’s a clear case of lovesickness.”

“So it looks that way? If it’s obvious even to others, then I must be seriously afflicted.”

“You’re speaking as if it’s no big deal.”

“Well, I was rejected, after all. And to make it worse, he even boasted to me about getting married.”

Even if she ignored that, the difference in their statuses made it impossible for her to be with Siyoon.

Facing reality, Ariel was doing her best to let go of her feelings.

But to Melinda, her decision only seemed amusing.

“Is there any fortress in the world that remains impregnable just because it has walls?”

“If you’re trying to persuade me to take Siyoon, you can stop right now. It’s simply not possible.”

“And why are you so certain it’s impossible?”

“Because Siyoon’s heart has already left me. On top of that, his wife is a hero celebrated by the kingdom. She’s the one who, over the past few decades, shattered… my father—the former emperor’s—ambitions! Do you really think I can accomplish something even he couldn’t?”

Each time she explained why it was impossible, Ariel felt as if she were squeezing her own heart.

Her heart was still with Siyoon, yet her reason kept spilling out all the reasons she had to let go.

She was explaining it to Melinda, but in truth, she was trying to convince herself.

And that made it all the more painful. Understanding and acceptance were two entirely different things.

“I’ve always admired every aspect of Your Majesty, but there’s one thing I dislike.”

“…And what would that be?”

“This place is far too rigid.”

Melinda tapped Ariel’s temple lightly with her finger.

It was something one should never do to the empress of the empire, but Ariel didn’t seem to care at all.

Rather than punishing her for disrespect, she was more interested in the meaning behind Melinda’s words.

“Are you saying my mind is too rigid?”

“Yes. Sometimes, people need to follow their instincts rather than their logic. If you have dreams and desires, why must you give them up?”

“Because it’s impossible.”

“And who decided that? You only give up when you’ve truly gone as far as you can and see that it’s hopeless. Giving up before even trying is not a good look.”

“If I fail, it will be miserable.”

Did she ever want to give up in the first place?

She had already tried holding onto Siyoon when she couldn’t let go of her feelings.

But when he firmly rejected her and left, she had been left standing there, utterly alone.

Realizing that fact, she felt an unbearable ache in her chest, and tears welled up.

As she revisited that painful memory, Ariel bit her lip.

“From what I see, Your Majesty has never had a truly desperate moment in your life.”

“What are you saying? Even this recent rebellion—I fought it with my life on the line!”

“But didn’t you only act because you saw a strong chance of success? What I’m talking about is staking everything on something that seems utterly impossible.”

Ariel had no response. Because she had never done such a thing.

She had always been calculating, always weighing the probabilities before acting.

She had never paid any attention to impossible choices, always opting for the best possible outcome.

“You don’t have one, do you?”

“I don’t. There’s nothing more foolish than challenging something impossible.”

“That’s not entirely wrong, but you’d be surprised how often things seem possible once you dive in headfirst. And do you know how exhilarating it is to accomplish something you once thought was impossible? There are plenty of people who get addicted to that thrill and can’t escape it.”

“But isn’t that just an uncertain future?”

“Failure teaches lessons too. The realizations gained only after giving it your all can lead to future success.”

Melinda loosened her belt and lifted her shirt slightly.

A long scar ran down her waist to her abdomen.

She didn’t explain it in detail, but Ariel understood instantly.

That scar was the mark of Melinda’s failure, but it was also what had made her into the person she was today.

“In the end, isn’t it just a festering wound in your heart? If that’s the case, why not just rip it open and let it heal properly? I’ll be right by your side to help.”

“I have one more thing I’d like to ask.”

“Ask me anything.”

“Why are you helping me so much? If you truly wish for your disciple’s happiness as a mentor, wouldn’t it be better to just leave me alone?”

“Why should I care about the happiness of a disciple who dumped all his work on me and ran off?”

“You have quite the twisted personality as a mentor.”

“Hahaha! If Your Majesty succeeds, I can drag that disciple back to the empire and finally pass my position to him, can’t I?”

“So that’s your true motive.”

“Do you dislike it?”

“Not at all. It just means I’ve gained a strong ally.”

Aside from their shared connection to Siyoon, Ariel and Melinda had no particular reason to associate with each other.

It wouldn’t have been strange if they had never met at all.

Yet there they stood, shaking hands on the terrace, forming an alliance.

Right after forging their alliance, they held meetings to accomplish a goal that seemed impossible.

To create even the slimmest possibility of success, they had to stake everything.

And that result was the proposal for an end to the war.

Under Melinda’s protection, Ariel personally visited the allied forces’ leadership to express her intent to end the war.

And the next day, Ariel made a shocking proposal to the alliance.

She offered to return half of the land the empire had conquered over the past three centuries.

In exchange, she demanded the safe return of all prisoners held in foreign lands—

Even those who had renounced their imperial citizenship.

‘I will get Siyoon back, no matter what.’

Thus began the opening act of the battle between two women.