I was both nervous and a little excited.
Alios had changed subtly after becoming a woman. If she had, then wouldn’t Viol have changed as well?
I had hoped that her nasty personality had improved a little, but no, it hadn’t.
Viol Jadenbium.
The current emperor ruling over this empire, formally named the Jadenbium Empire.
And an undeniable madwoman.
At eighteen, she killed her own parents—the previous emperor and empress—and seized the empire.
Since then, she has continued ruling, using her vile personality to flaunt her power across the nation.
However, aside from her twisted personality, she was a competent ruler.
So while the people harbored complaints, they never went so far as to stage a rebellion.
…At least, that was the setting of the novel.
But as the story progressed toward its latter half, she became so obsessed with Ceres that she completely neglected her duties.
“Hahaha!”
“What could be so amusing?”
Alios frowned as she watched the emperor still laughing.
Even though she was the empire’s greatest knight, she had no respect for its ruler.
“I can never understand what goes on in her mind.”
“If we could, we’d probably be crazy too.”
I whispered so that Viol wouldn’t hear, while observing what she would do next.
“…Hah?”
At that moment, Viol suddenly stopped laughing.
Had she noticed us watching?
Her gaze turned to us, and for a moment, our eyes met.
I tensed up instantly.
Not knowing how she would react, I heightened my guard—but she didn’t do anything.
She simply erased her smile and stared at me.
“Ceres, this way.”
Before I could respond, Ares stepped in front of me, blocking her line of sight, and led me elsewhere.
“Are you alright?”
Once we reached a secluded area, I asked her anxiously.
“She called for me, didn’t she? Shouldn’t I go and greet her?”
I didn’t want to, but she was the emperor. The one who had forcibly summoned me here.
I was pretty sure that in the original story, I had been introduced to her reluctantly.
“You only started walking again yesterday. There’s no reason for us to approach her first.”
“But—”
“If she wants to see you, she’ll come herself. Whether we like it or not.”
That was true.
With that, I stayed put and observed the situation.
“Your Majesty, thank you for the invitation.”
A noblewoman greeted Viol stiffly.
It was clear from her expression that she had no desire to do so, but as a noble, she had no choice.
Viol’s eyes gleamed with amusement.
“You must be Viscount Hanashian, correct?”
“You remember me?”
“You attended my last party. Even then, you spoke to me like it was some unpleasant duty you had to fulfill as a noble. It was laughable, but I found your boldness amusing enough to remember you.”
“I-I see.”
Was that a compliment? Or an insult?
Viscount Hanashian responded awkwardly, clearly unsure.
Seeing this, some fool took it as an opportunity.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Majesty! I am Oliviel, second daughter of Count Hacent!”
Oliviel, despite the terrible atmosphere, eagerly stepped forward.
She must have thought that if Viol remembered Viscount Hanashian, she would remember her too.
She was mistaken.
“And who gave you permission to speak to me?”
“Pardon?”
“Who said a mere count’s second daughter could greet me unprompted?”
“B-But the lady before—”
“I tolerated her. Does that mean I have to tolerate you too? Are you under the impression that laws exist for that? Maybe you should become emperor yourself and make such a law.”
“N-No! I would never dare!”
Oliviel looked close to tears.
The surrounding nobles, including myself, pitied her.
She must have been from the countryside, unaware of just how capricious Viol was.
Her whims shifted like boiling water. The same situation could yield entirely different responses depending on her mood.
“Please let me go home.”
“Why should I?”
“You said you’d send me back after thirty days!”
“Hmm. I don’t recall that.”
Viol had toyed with Ceres like this countless times in the original story.
Most villains carried a certain weight to their words, but Viol?
To her, everything was just a game.
A way to alleviate her boredom.
Yet, she kept staring at me.
Even as she mocked others, her gaze remained fixed on me.
What was this?
If she was interested, why didn’t she just approach me?
Was she waiting for me to come to her?
…
That wasn’t like Viol at all.
“Ceres, stop looking at her and try this.”
Annoyed that I was paying attention to someone else, Alios suddenly shoved a dish toward me.
That’s when it happened.
Viol, who had been watching me intently, narrowed her eyes and started walking toward us.
“I was starting to think I’d die waiting.”
She sneered the moment she arrived.
“If I went through the trouble of inviting you, you should have come to see me immediately.”
“My apologies. I thought you wouldn’t appreciate an unsolicited greeting.”
Ares stepped forward, bowing slightly as she made an excuse.
“As a mere subject, I would never dare address my sovereign so freely. Besides, my son was unwell, so I simply knew my place and kept quiet.”
“You always have a way with words.”
Viol looked at Ares with clear irritation.
These two didn’t get along.
Even Viol knew that someone like Ares would never truly be loyal to a lunatic like her.
She tolerated it only because Ares did her job well—but in the end, their conflict over Ceres would bring them to ruin.
For now, though, Viol simply stared her down before turning away.
“It has been a while, Your Majesty.”
“…So you’re Ceres?”
Ignoring Alios entirely, Viol pushed her aside and spoke directly to me.
“It’s an absolute honor to finally meet you.”
She exaggerated her words with mockery.
“To think that even I, the emperor, would struggle to catch a glimpse of the most beautiful person in the empire.”
“…I was sick, so I had no choice but to decline your invitations.”
“And such a lovely voice! But did you know? You’re not the only one who’s used illness as an excuse to avoid me.”
As expected, she was picking a fight.
Even in the original story, when Ares introduced Ceres, Viol had taunted him.
Why?
It wasn’t explained.
Probably just because she had an awful personality.
“That was uncalled for.”
“Your Majesty, my son meant no offense.”
Alios and Ares quickly intervened, but Viol glared at them coldly.
“Why are you overreacting? Can’t the emperor even speak?”
“Your Majesty, do not cross the line.”
“…You’re the one crossing the line, Ares Hyperion.”
A dangerous red glint flickered in Viol’s eyes.
Damn it. I quickly intervened.
“I don’t mind. Mother, please step back.”
I forced myself to say it.
I had to defuse the situation and redirect Viol’s attention toward me.
Reluctantly, my only two allies withdrew, leaving me alone with this madwoman.
“You must be happy. Born beautiful, adored by all, and protected with their very lives.”
“I suppose so.”
“And now they’re even calling you a saint? Must feel wonderful, like the whole world revolves around you.”
“I see.”
“You healed your people in front of everyone, didn’t you? How satisfying it must have been, basking in their admiration.”
“…Is that so?”
Viol fell silent.
She had been waiting for a reaction, but I gave her none.
The original Ceres was sickly and reserved, but he wasn’t weak enough to endure outright humiliation.
He had even slapped Viol once.
And that was what started her obsession.
So I had to endure.
“That woman, Alios, visits your house every day, right? She must… Viol be more crazy than you thought, just like what you two were doing just now.”
I didn’t react.
This level of bad language was nothing special.
“She doesn’t suit your innocent appearance at all. If you look closely, you’re not even pretty. Your body is too thin and your skin is too white. The name Ceres isn’t very good either.”
… What?
“Ceres, do you think you’ll become really handsome if you just give yourself a name that sounds pretty? Ceres, Ceres, that’s a really stupid name that seems like it was just given carelessly. I can see your level, Ceres.” “
“It’s fortunate that you’re a man. If you were a woman, you’d be a stupid woman like that Olivier. Wouldn’t you be a pathetic woman who would cry and do nothing no matter where you went and got hit? It’s easy to imagine how incompetent a woman Ceres would be.”
“You. Dare. To mock Ceres in front of me?! “
I know you were doing it partly because of my reaction to Ceres, but I couldn’t stand it.
You guys shouldn’t treat Ceres like an idiot!!
I picked up the spaghetti next to me and slapped it at Viol’s handsome face!
The surroundings became quiet as I slapped the spaghetti.
Ares’s eyes fluttered.
Alios covered her mouth with her hand and the other nobles froze.
“…You’re the first to do something like this to me.”
Viol said the original line with a face covered in the spaghetti I threw at it.
“And you be the last.”
She then immediately added a line that wasn’t in the original.