The dowager empress and the chancellor stared at each other.
He looked tense, but he didn’t show it as replied smoothly, “You are correct. I see that news travel fast.”
His words were sharp.
It wasn’t just me who was shocked at this situation. Other than those who were on the dowager empress’ side, everyone else looked confused and fearful.
I stood straight and stopped my body from trembling. I bit my lips hard enough to taste my own blood. I clenched my fists and dug my nails into my own skin.
The dowager empress walked towards me and stood right in front of me.
It was her.
Dowager empress Katleyanira.
She asked laughingly, “Do you still not understand what is happening, little girl?”
I prayed my voice didn’t tremble.
“Of course not. How could I not know when it is happening right in front of me? I’m not that slow.”
The dowager empress laughed loudly and grabbed the orders from the table. She ripped them into small pieces and threw them at me grandly.
It took everything I had not to scream and attack her right then.
‘Calm down, Bina. You need to be calm, or else…”
My hands were wet with sweat.
‘It will be game over.’
I put on a smile and said to her, “I just didn’t expect you to go this far.”
The dowager empress looked disappointed.
“That was your biggest mistake. Who cares about the process or reason as long as you get the result you desire? The most important thing you can ever have is power. It is the most important thing.”
“… Well.”
I gritted my teeth and smiled.
Marquis Galisia and his rebels now owned this castle. I had assumed Marquis Galisia was outside the city leading the attack against Lucretius. However, I was clearly wrong. I also thought the dowager empress escaped the castle. Again, I was wrong.
This room was filled with the most important and influential noblemen of Cransia. With the emperor missing, whoever commanded the Senate had the power over this kingdom.
Right now, it was the dowager empress who owned all of us.
She smiled in satisfaction like a well-fed cat.
***
Marquis Galisia and his men started to tie ropes around the hands of the noblemen. As they sat the chancellor down on a chair by force, he glared at the dowager empress, Marquises Toruka and Galisia, and shouted.
“How dare you betray the royal family and attack the senate… Do you really think you will get away with this?!”
His voice was regal, but it was useless against this situation. The dowager empress snickered at him.
“One thing you should remember is that your threat against me is hopeless, but my order to kill you will be carried out immediately.”
“How dare you…!”
Marquis Galisia shook his head in frustration. “He will not listen.”
The dowager empress laughed quietly. “I know, but I can’t kill him. Not right now anyway.”
Marquis Galisia bowed deeply. “Of course, your highness.”
Some noblemen weren’t tied down. Instead, Galisia’s men surrounded them.
The dowager empress turned towards these men and asked, “Think carefully what you want to do next.”
None of them answered. None of them objected.
I realized these were the dowager empress’ men. They were on her side, to begin with. They smiled and walked towards the dowager empress confidently. They looked proud of the situation.
It was sickening.
Finally…
Her gaze found me again.
“I must admit you made my life miserable for a while now. You are the one who forced me to act on this plan…”
“… I am honored that you acknowledge me like that.”
I smiled brightly, which made her angry.
“Yes. I should thank you for all this. I should show my appreciation by killing you in the worst way!”
She smiled beautifully, making me shiver in fear.
She came closer to me.
“Now, give it to me.”
I knew what she was talking about. I stepped back slowly.
Lucretius gave me this royal seal, and I couldn’t let that woman have it.
I couldn’t let Lucretius down by handing this kingdom to her!
Suddenly, Marquis Galisia grabbed my wrist and twisted it behind my back.
“Gyaaa!”
He pushed me down and tried to grab the ring from me. I fought back as hard as I could and screamed.
“How dare you place your hand on the emperor’s wife, you traitor!”
The dowager empress sneered at me.
“Emperor’s wife? Who? There is no emperor, so what is the point of his wife?!”
At her cruel joke, Marquis Toruka and other traitors laughed at me.
“Arrg!”
It didn’t take much for Marquis Galisia to take the ring from my hand.
When he handed it to the dowager empress, she grabbed it with pure joy on her face. The ring shined brightly under the light.
“Finally! It’s mine. It took so long. The former emperor wouldn’t let me even touch it when he was alive.”
I screamed emotionally, “Give it back to me! That does not belong to you!”
The dowager empress laughed at me.
“You are right. It isn’t mine. I am just holding it until the real owner comes in.”
She then clapped her hands. Suddenly, the door opened, and a pale girl was dragged in by a knight.
“Princess Liliana!”
The dowager empress grabbed Liliana’s hand and forced the ring onto her right-hand finger.
“Finally, the royal seal has found its true owner.”
Liliana became even paler as she screamed, “Please stop! Stop this, mother!”
She was sobbing, but no one cared. Liliana was helpless just as I was.
I shouted at the dowager empress, “This is wrong! You are a traitor! You are committing treason against the emperor!”
Her loud laugh sounded like broken glasses.
She smiled at me and replied, “You are wrong. I have never harmed the FORMER EMPEROR Lucretius.”
“What do you mean, former emperor!”
Some of the noblemen protested as well, but the dowager empress ignored them.
“The reason why I ordered Marquis Galisia this attack was to arrest the real traitor who murdered former emperor Lucretius.”
“What?”
I suddenly realized what was happening. It couldn’t be…
“Make the traitor kneel.”
At her order, Marquis Galisia pushed me down onto my knees.
The dowager empress smiled at me sharply and announced, “Sa Bina le Cransia. You murdered the emperor and tried to take over the throne.”
“What… what nonsense are you talking about?”
This was ridiculous, but she continued seriously, “This is the truth. You tried to take the throne by murdering your husband.”
I trembled in anger as I shouted, “That is a lie! Do you have a proof?”
“There is no need for a proof. It simply is the truth and that is what matters.”
“This is ludicrous…!”
However, my protest was ignored. When the chancellor and a few of the noblemen protested, they were kicked in the faces.
I realized there was nothing I could do. The dowager empress was the one with all the power. I was weak and useless.
She laughed again.
“Now, that we have established this… The only thing left to do is make the decision.”
Decision? What decision?
I tensed as she continued to smile at me.
Before I could say anything, she raised her hand and ordered, “As the regent of the new ruler Liliana, the heir to the former emperor Lucretius, I, Katleyanira le Cransia, order the following.”
As soon as she started her announcement, Marquis Toruka dragged the scribe to the table and made him write down her order.
She continued sharply, “The crime of murdering the emperor and attempting to take the throne cannot be forgiven.”
“That’s a lie!”
I screamed despite knowing it was hopeless.
“This is treason against Cransia, and therefore, I order Sa Bina le Cransia to be executed.”
I fought against the knight who held me down. The dowager empress laughed at me as she stamped the royal seal on this order.
My execution order was now official.
She looked around the room and asked, “If anyone objects to this, please tell me now.”
No one would dare.
Marquis Toruka bowed his head and announced, “We are all impressed with your highness’ wisdom.”
The other traitors murmured their agreements.
The dowager empress added confidently, “The execution will take place tomorrow morning at sunset in this hall.”
The dowager empress and the chancellor stared at each other.
He looked tense, but he didn’t show it as replied smoothly, “You are correct. I see that news travel fast.”
His words were sharp.
It wasn’t just me who was shocked at this situation. Other than those who were on the dowager empress’ side, everyone else looked confused and fearful.
I stood straight and stopped my body from trembling. I bit my lips hard enough to taste my own blood. I clenched my fists and dug my nails into my own skin.
The dowager empress walked towards me and stood right in front of me.
It was her.
Dowager empress Katleyanira.
She asked laughingly, “Do you still not understand what is happening, little girl?”
I prayed my voice didn’t tremble.
“Of course not. How could I not know when it is happening right in front of me? I’m not that slow.”
The dowager empress laughed loudly and grabbed the orders from the table. She ripped them into small pieces and threw them at me grandly.
It took everything I had not to scream and attack her right then.
‘Calm down, Bina. You need to be calm, or else…”
My hands were wet with sweat.
‘It will be game over.’
I put on a smile and said to her, “I just didn’t expect you to go this far.”
The dowager empress looked disappointed.
“That was your biggest mistake. Who cares about the process or reason as long as you get the result you desire? The most important thing you can ever have is power. It is the most important thing.”
“… Well.”
I gritted my teeth and smiled.
Marquis Galisia and his rebels now owned this castle. I had assumed Marquis Galisia was outside the city leading the attack against Lucretius. However, I was clearly wrong. I also thought the dowager empress escaped the castle. Again, I was wrong.
This room was filled with the most important and influential noblemen of Cransia. With the emperor missing, whoever commanded the Senate had the power over this kingdom.
Right now, it was the dowager empress who owned all of us.
She smiled in satisfaction like a well-fed cat.
***
Marquis Galisia and his men started to tie ropes around the hands of the noblemen. As they sat the chancellor down on a chair by force, he glared at the dowager empress, Marquises Toruka and Galisia, and shouted.
“How dare you betray the royal family and attack the senate… Do you really think you will get away with this?!”
His voice was regal, but it was useless against this situation. The dowager empress snickered at him.
“One thing you should remember is that your threat against me is hopeless, but my order to kill you will be carried out immediately.”
“How dare you…!”
Marquis Galisia shook his head in frustration. “He will not listen.”
The dowager empress laughed quietly. “I know, but I can’t kill him. Not right now anyway.”
Marquis Galisia bowed deeply. “Of course, your highness.”
Some noblemen weren’t tied down. Instead, Galisia’s men surrounded them.
The dowager empress turned towards these men and asked, “Think carefully what you want to do next.”
None of them answered. None of them objected.
I realized these were the dowager empress’ men. They were on her side, to begin with. They smiled and walked towards the dowager empress confidently. They looked proud of the situation.
It was sickening.
Finally…
Her gaze found me again.
“I must admit you made my life miserable for a while now. You are the one who forced me to act on this plan…”
“… I am honored that you acknowledge me like that.”
I smiled brightly, which made her angry.
“Yes. I should thank you for all this. I should show my appreciation by killing you in the worst way!”
She smiled beautifully, making me shiver in fear.
She came closer to me.
“Now, give it to me.”
I knew what she was talking about. I stepped back slowly.
Lucretius gave me this royal seal, and I couldn’t let that woman have it.
I couldn’t let Lucretius down by handing this kingdom to her!
Suddenly, Marquis Galisia grabbed my wrist and twisted it behind my back.
“Gyaaa!”
He pushed me down and tried to grab the ring from me. I fought back as hard as I could and screamed.
“How dare you place your hand on the emperor’s wife, you traitor!”
The dowager empress sneered at me.
“Emperor’s wife? Who? There is no emperor, so what is the point of his wife?!”
At her cruel joke, Marquis Toruka and other traitors laughed at me.
“Arrg!”
It didn’t take much for Marquis Galisia to take the ring from my hand.
When he handed it to the dowager empress, she grabbed it with pure joy on her face. The ring shined brightly under the light.
“Finally! It’s mine. It took so long. The former emperor wouldn’t let me even touch it when he was alive.”
I screamed emotionally, “Give it back to me! That does not belong to you!”
The dowager empress laughed at me.
“You are right. It isn’t mine. I am just holding it until the real owner comes in.”
She then clapped her hands. Suddenly, the door opened, and a pale girl was dragged in by a knight.
“Princess Liliana!”
The dowager empress grabbed Liliana’s hand and forced the ring onto her right-hand finger.
“Finally, the royal seal has found its true owner.”
Liliana became even paler as she screamed, “Please stop! Stop this, mother!”
She was sobbing, but no one cared. Liliana was helpless just as I was.
I shouted at the dowager empress, “This is wrong! You are a traitor! You are committing treason against the emperor!”
Her loud laugh sounded like broken glasses.
She smiled at me and replied, “You are wrong. I have never harmed the FORMER EMPEROR Lucretius.”
“What do you mean, former emperor!”
Some of the noblemen protested as well, but the dowager empress ignored them.
“The reason why I ordered Marquis Galisia this attack was to arrest the real traitor who murdered former emperor Lucretius.”
“What?”
I suddenly realized what was happening. It couldn’t be…
“Make the traitor kneel.”
At her order, Marquis Galisia pushed me down onto my knees.
The dowager empress smiled at me sharply and announced, “Sa Bina le Cransia. You murdered the emperor and tried to take over the throne.”
“What… what nonsense are you talking about?”
This was ridiculous, but she continued seriously, “This is the truth. You tried to take the throne by murdering your husband.”
I trembled in anger as I shouted, “That is a lie! Do you have a proof?”
“There is no need for a proof. It simply is the truth and that is what matters.”
“This is ludicrous…!”
However, my protest was ignored. When the chancellor and a few of the noblemen protested, they were kicked in the faces.
I realized there was nothing I could do. The dowager empress was the one with all the power. I was weak and useless.
She laughed again.
“Now, that we have established this… The only thing left to do is make the decision.”
Decision? What decision?
I tensed as she continued to smile at me.
Before I could say anything, she raised her hand and ordered, “As the regent of the new ruler Liliana, the heir to the former emperor Lucretius, I, Katleyanira le Cransia, order the following.”
As soon as she started her announcement, Marquis Toruka dragged the scribe to the table and made him write down her order.
She continued sharply, “The crime of murdering the emperor and attempting to take the throne cannot be forgiven.”
“That’s a lie!”
I screamed despite knowing it was hopeless.
“This is treason against Cransia, and therefore, I order Sa Bina le Cransia to be executed.”
I fought against the knight who held me down. The dowager empress laughed at me as she stamped the royal seal on this order.
My execution order was now official.
She looked around the room and asked, “If anyone objects to this, please tell me now.”
No one would dare.
Marquis Toruka bowed his head and announced, “We are all impressed with your highness’ wisdom.”
The other traitors murmured their agreements.
The dowager empress added confidently, “The execution will take place tomorrow morning at sunset in this hall.”
