Through Olivia’s fragments of memories, I came to know the truth.
I’m just left feeling empty.
“Ha. Haha. So that’s how it was.”
“Olivia?”
Rokton looks at me with concern.
So that’s how it was.
No wonder things felt strange.
What connection could there possibly be between the First Olivia and me for me to end up in her body?
Who would have thought that side effect from back then would still linger?
Am I only realizing this now?
Then that means there’s one more thing I must do.
“So, what happened to Lily’s mother?”
“She’s been under surveillance in Moran all this time. Didn’t you ask me to send knights to her right after that? But afterward, you seemed so out of it and said the woman was innocent, so there wasn’t much choice.”
“They actually kept her alive.”
“It’s probably Lily’s influence as well.”
“Yes. Then I must see it through to the end.”
“Why? Has the atmosphere changed?”
Come to think of it, Moran was the village I visited with the Hero, Eugene.
There, Eugene spent a night in the village brothel with all the women.
Maybe Lily’s mother even slept with Eugene.
“Hey, did you know? One of the prostitutes wanted to introduce me to her daughter.”
“And?”
“I told her why would I meet the daughter of a prostitute? Told her to stop spouting nonsense and kicked her out. The fact that her hair was pink just made me feel disgusted.”
“Maybe it’s her.”
“In a way, it might be the only decent thing Eugene has done.”
“Trying to leave a little safety net instead of the Crown Prince, I guess.”
“Well, since everything seems to be in order, I’ll be on my way.”
“Yes.”
“But are you alright without any attendants? Not too long ago, your personality was… well, let’s say, unusual, and all the maids left, didn’t they?”
Right. With that personality, it’s no wonder the maids are all gone.
Because of that, my reputation in Ashtar likely dropped further.
But there’s one person now.
Claire. A young maid with dark hair.
She’s from an assassination guild, both my mother’s aide and a battle maid of Ashtar.
She’s highly skilled.
“Actually, I have someone.”
“Really? Did Mother send her? Even though she says otherwise, she still cares for you.”
Is that really how it works? I doubt it.
Looking back now, it’s rather absurd.
That someone as high-ranking as the head of an assassination guild didn’t notice her daughter had changed.
How uninterested could she have been for that to happen?
“Yes, her name is Claire.”
“Claire?”
Rokton’s face suddenly turns cold upon hearing her name.
“Why? Do you know her?”
“Ah, no. I must have mistaken her for someone else.”
‘What is this? Why’d he stop mid-sentence?’
‘Did he have a run-in with Claire at some point?’
‘Well, no need to press him on it.’
“Then, I’ll see you out.”
“Understood. If you need anything, just contact me through the magic tool. Not that I think there’ll be any issues, but it’s always better to be cautious.”
“There is actually something I need.”
“There’s something I obviously have to do now.”
“Oh, it’s nothing serious, but…”
“What is it?”
“Could you perhaps get me some stone suitable for a tombstone?”
“What would you need a tombstone for?”
“Brother, every woman has secrets she’d rather keep.”
“Never thought I’d end up talking about women myself.”
“Ah, understood. You must be going through a lot as well.”
“Not as much as you, Brother, dealing with all that.”
“Handling Lily will certainly be difficult.”
“Yes, you’re right. Well, then, I’ll take my leave.”
“Yes. I’ll rely on you in tough times, Brother.”
When I called him “Brother” on his way out, he even bumped into the door.
Calling him “Brother” seems to make him giddy.
After Rokton left, I fell into quiet contemplation.
“I suppose I’m the only one who knows the First Olivia is dead.”
“Olivia. You were right.”
“Just as you thought of me as your other half, I feel the same,” she said softly. “No matter who you’re with or where you are, you remain in my memory.”
“When you were angry, I was angry. When you were sad, I was sad. Even when I was hit by Lily’s wretched power, I retained the same memories.”
She paused, her voice steady but filled with conviction. “The fact that I hold your memories is proof that I am Olivia as well. Because part of my soul spent time with you, it seems.”
“Even if you’re dead, I will live as the new Olivia. And as much as you acknowledged me as the new Olivia, I have work to do.”
Her eyes hardened, her gaze unwavering. “First, revenge on Lily and her mother.”
“Of course, revenge is a duty, given what happened to the First Olivia,” she continued, “but there’s also another issue. The scroll with the Demon King’s curse that Lily’s mother possesses. I need to find out where it came from.”
***
Imperial Palace
After falling prey to Lily’s succubus powers, the central nobility, feeling significantly weakened, came up with a clever plan.
That was to decide a new heir to the throne.
By leading the succession decision, they could regain their political influence.
With provincial nobles flocking to Atlerina, the central nobles felt the urgency and saw this as a godsend.
The fact that Crown Prince Aslan willingly gave up his position made this possible.
The central nobles entered the palace together to pressure the Emperor.
But recently, the Emperor was rarely seen in either the palace or the council chamber.
It may be due to Prince Aslan, but with the Emperor’s troubled state of mind, they could make good use of it.
“Where could he be?”
“Most likely in his bedchamber. We might have to go there directly.”
“But he’s still the Emperor, isn’t he? Isn’t it a bit much to barge in like this?”
“Yet, it’s a problem that he’s shut himself in his bedchamber. Shouldn’t he decide on a successor soon?”
The Emperor is unwell, and the central nobles are in a rush.
In that case, going in directly should be acceptable.
The nobles, after searching through the palace, finally made their way to the Emperor’s bedchamber.
In front of the chamber were several maids with their heads bowed.
The nobles approached the maid guarding the chamber door.
“Is His Majesty inside?”
“He’s out at the moment.”
“Out? The very foundation of the Empire is shaking, and where could he possibly have gone at such a time?”
The maid, head still bowed, laughed inwardly at the noble’s words.
“The foundation is shaking, indeed. It wasn’t entirely incorrect.”
“The next generation of nobles meant to lead the Empire all playing around in women’s skirts—no wonder things are shaking.”
“What could I, a mere maid, possibly know?”
“Hmph. Useless.”
So, where are they supposed to find the Emperor now? While the nobles fretted about, one of them approached a maid.
“This is strange. Did His Majesty truly leave?”
“Yes.”
At her words, the noble frowned.
It’s an obvious lie.
If the Emperor were truly absent, there wouldn’t be so many maids here.
Moreover, considering the Emperor is a woman, preparing for outings requires even more assistance; it’s unlikely she’d leave all her maids behind.
Other nobles, noticing the odd situation, gathered together.
“What seems to be the matter?”
“If the Emperor had really gone out during such a sensitive time, it would have been made known. So, the fact that she’s supposedly absent means…”
“You think she’s still in the palace?”
“Yes, the number of maids here indicates as much.”
“The insolent girl—daring to deceive us like this.”
The nobles glared at the maid.
Unfazed, the maid ignored their reactions.
It was infuriatingly arrogant, and they wanted to reprimand her, but she was still the Emperor’s maid, and now wasn’t the time.
Finally, the nobles pushed past her and shouted outside the chamber doors.
“Your Majesty, you must establish a new heir! The First Prince has magnanimously relinquished the title, so the Princess must be crowned as the Heir Apparent!”
“I’ve told you, His Majesty is not here.”
“Your Majesty! Must we stoop to conversing with a mere maid? Your Majesty!”
What clueless people.
The pushed-aside maid stepped forward once more.
“As I said, His Majesty is currently out.”
The nobles glared at the maid blocking their way.
The noble who first suspected the lie stomped forward, visibly angry.
“You insolent girl, from the very start—!”
Smack!
A red mark appeared on the maid’s cheek as her head turned to the side.
The enraged noble had struck her.
The maid touched her cheek and glared at the noble who had slapped her.
“You insolent…!”
Smack!
The noble struck her again, even angrier this time.
Seeing one of their own being hit, other maids rushed over to help the slapped maid to her feet, all raising their voices in unison.
***
“Y-Your Majesty!”
The title with which the Empire’s servants and subjects address their Emperor—a revered honorific—was now being directed at the maid by her fellow maids.
The nobles froze, eyes widening in shock.
“Y-Your Majesty? What…what is the meaning of this?”
One noble muttered in confusion.
The slapped maid, touching her cheek, began to remove her dark wig.
As the dark hair fell away, radiant platinum hair flowed down, the signature color of the Armenia imperial family.
In the entire palace, there was only one bearer of platinum hair—the Empress herself.
Realizing the situation, the nobles dropped to their knees.
The “maid” was, in fact, the Emperor.
She was Belia von Armenia, the 79th Empress of the Armenia Empire, who had been disguised as a maid.
The central nobles were left dumbfounded.
Why on earth was the Emperor disguised as a maid?
The “maid” from a moment ago had become the Emperor before their eyes.
She looked down at the kneeling nobles and pointed at them.
“Ahaha. You dare strike a maid who acts on the Emperor’s orders to deceive? Fitting behavior for fathers of sons bewitched by a mere succubus, hmm? How many lives do you think you have?”
“Y-Your Majesty! Please…spare us!”
Watching the nobles grovel was quite satisfying.
Empress Belia looked them over with a slight smirk.
She gently rubbed her cheek, the redness quickly fading to her fair skin, as she cast a sharp glance at the nobles.
Well, this had turned out to be quite amusing.
Despite the slap, these foolish nobles hadn’t even recognized their own Emperor.
“Since you are addled, and I was indeed in disguise as a maid, I shall grant you clemency just this once, out of my boundless mercy.”
While she hadn’t expected such a reaction, she supposed it was forgivable this time.
Yet, just then, the noble who had slapped her dared to lift his head.
“Your Majesty! While we nobles have certainly done wrong, you must uphold your dignity!”
Dignity, he says?
“Dignity? What good does that do? While my own children roam freely outside, why should I alone be stuck here in the palace, wasting away in boredom?”
“Your Majesty, even so…”
“If you recall, the Armenia royal family descended from barbarian roots. Our founding ancestor’s relationship with his subjects was so close that they’d even brawl at drinking parties. Why shouldn’t I enjoy a little freedom as well?”
The nobles held their breath at her words.
The royal line could indeed be traced back to barbarian tribes who rode across the plains and pillaged.
But for the Emperor to say such a thing—was she admitting her lineage’s barbaric roots?
Such talk of bloodlines was strictly taboo, yet the Emperor said it as if it were nothing.
The nobles saw this as an opportunity.
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