Chapter 104

Chapter 104 – A Confession (2)

Translator: Lunarise

Editor: Larkspur

After the victory, the emperor returned to the palace. The Arpen Empire was full of festivities.

As soon as the coach that the emperor was in entered the capital, flower rain descended from the sky. A beautiful and courageous emperor raised a toast to their victory. A roar of applause poured out of a crowd.

As soon as Viola turned her gaze to the window of the coach, a girl ran up and gave her flowers.

“I wish you happiness, Your Highness.”

“Thank you.”

Viola took the flowers from the girl. Soon after, more girls continued handing her flowers. Eventually, the coach was so full of flowers that she could only hold an armful of them. More and more people gathered to celebrate the happily married life of the imperial couple.

Up ahead was the imperial palace. Viola gulped. I wonder how much has changed in the past eight years… She couldn’t tell. Guinev, Anne, the other princesses and Ivan who helped her escape, and even the previous emperor and empress… There were more than just a few things that concerned her.

The coach stopped at the emperor’s palace. As the door opened, Lustian held out his hand as a matter of courtesy. In a place flowing with a vague sense of tension, she took a step forward and down the coach, holding onto the sides of her drooping dress.

Whoosh-

Suddenly a gust of wind came and messed up her hair. Viola’s heart fluttered intensely.

Much of the nobility gazed at her. As if they had prepared a welcoming ball, all of them had gathered in the garden, dressed to the nines. Just then, a man and woman, representing the aristocrats, walked in with heavy footsteps. Viola’s eyes went wide. It was Ivan, and next to him was Anne.

“We welcome you for your return, Your Highness.”

♛

The welcoming feast commenced. When they went into the hall, they saw an abundant stack of rare and precious delicacies spread on a dining table. At the top were two golden tables, the seats of the imperial family, where Viola would sit next to Lustian.

“We congratulate the victory achieved by our emperor, and we wish that our empress is blessed!”

“We wish that our empress is blessed!”

“Let us raise a toast to our victory!”

They each said their piece as they raised a toast. Viola was considerably surprised. Since she was from the royal family of a foreign country, she assumed she wouldn’t be welcomed even if she did become Empress, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Not a single person showed any signs of hostility towards her. She could not shake off the feelings of bewilderment.

The seat of Empress was left empty for eight years, so I don’t know how I could be welcomed with such enthusiasm…

Viola gaze met with Anne’s. It seemed like she had been waiting for Viola.

What on earth happened during those eight years?

♛

Since the center of attention was her and Lustian, she had no time to speak with Anne alone. After a long wait, they could just barely make time mid-way through the banquet. Even at this moment, she had to receive permission from Lustian to do this, so she headed straight for the place where Anne was waiting.

“Anne—”

When Viola went up to her, Anne curtsied in a bashful way. Viola was happy to see her and she grabbed her hand. Just then, Anne finally lifted herself up and held Viola’s hand, facing her.

“To think that you’d come back like this… I was so alarmed.”

“What happened? Is everyone safe?”

“Well….” Anne’s expression became gloomy.

Viola was anxious.

“What’s wrong?”

“Everyone… was stripped of their identity as an imperial concubine and labeled a criminal. Even wearing clothes and making meals have to be done by hand by all of the princesses. In no way can they be considered attendants or even maids… Each and every day is full of suffering. Our homeland started the war, but now even the princesses are being punished.”

“Ah….”

“They stopped the entry of all commodities from our homeland. They made it so that no one can receive anything except for those that were provided by the imperial family. They do provide a number of supplies that are just reasonable enough to prevent starvation, but this is a very difficult situation for the princesses who never once got their hands dirty until now.”

Viola pictured the princesses washing and cleaning up the palace. It was unimaginable. She felt empty inside. Then she looked over Anne’s appearance. She was just as she was. In fact, the only thing that changed was that she was wearing a fancier dress.

“But… Anne, you….”

“I married Grand Duke Ivan.”

“…!”

Viola’s eyes opened wide.

To marry Ivan…. Of course, it was safe to assume that she dreamt of a marriage with him since she did love him, but wasn’t Anne still also Lustian’s concubine? The emperor’s concubine married someone from the imperial family… How much different is that from when Lustian once said he gave the concubine to Lune, his own knight?

Anne didn’t look very happy. In fact, her expression showed that she was in a deep state of anxiety. “On account of the fact that the emperor didn’t press charges against me for helping the empress escape, he ordered that I marry him.”

What is this?! Startled, Viola moved back a little.

After a little while, a man with a sturdy build walked up to them. As soon as she saw Ivan, she spoke with a biting tone.

“Don’t fret. I didn’t tell her anything else. Even I’m tactful!”

Anne passed by Ivan and ran off in a hurry. Before Viola could catch her, she had hid completely.

Viola was so shocked, she couldn’t open her mouth. How could she force herself into this marriage just to help me…? She felt bad for Ivan… She felt like she was running dry inside.

“Don’t feel guilty. I am entirely responsible for the things I did.” Ivan interrupted her thoughts.

“Please, dispense with the formalities. I would be content with that.”

Seemingly after a bit of hesitation, Ivan conversed casually as he used to. “This goes against imperial etiquette, but I was never one to adhere to the rules. This goes for you as well.”

“You’re right. I apologize.”

“A marriage should be mutually desired. I assume that she did get what she wanted since she could avoid punishment, unlike the other princesses.”

Both of them walked shoulder-to-shoulder. The palace was unfamiliar to her since it had been such a long time since she had walked inside of it.

“The biggest reason was that the emperor recognized my feelings.”

“Well—”

“The fact that I wanted to steal his bride. You caught my eyes, didn’t you know?”

“……!”