Chapter 28

Chapter 28. Mixed Emotions

Vinea watched from the window as the temple’s carriage left the palace grounds. A sardonic smile played on her lips as she placed a hand on the cool glass.

“To think they’d flee with their tails between their legs after promising to cooperate,” she mused.

The bitter smell of the truth serum lingered on the damp navy carpet. The mark was a result of the Chief Priest dropping the serum in a panic, fearing it as if it were a plague, after she handed it to him while he apologized for his suspicions.

Vinea recalled the conversation she had with the Chief Priest moments earlier.

“The Chief Priest’s words were rather strange,” she remarked.

“Yes. Sefitiana is supposed to be indestructible by any material, yet we broke it quite easily,” Tatar replied.

“I broke it first, then you, and in this lifetime, I shattered it again,” Vinea noted.

“Is it because we are repeating time?” Tatar wondered.

“I’m not sure. But thanks to the Chief Priest, we’ve clarified one thing. We’ve always had a lingering question: Is Sefitiana the cause of this time loop?” Vinea said thoughtfully.

Strictly speaking, Sefitiana had merely answered their questions throughout. If others who weren’t experiencing the time loop faced the same situation, it undermined the assumption that Sefitiana was linked to their looping. However, if, as the Chief Priest claimed, Sefitiana appeared to them alone and shattered, then it was somehow entwined with their predicament.

Vinea walked over to Tatar, who was deep in thought, and he looked up at her.

“Let’s summarize. Sefitiana told me to love you until the miracle of the gods was achieved. We tried but failed spectacularly,” she said.

They had spent intense, passionate nights together, yet the time loop persisted. It was a sign of their failure.

“Are you disappointed by the many nights we spent together?” Tatar asked with a lazy smile.

“Not at all. And let’s be clear, it wasn’t just nights. We were so absorbed in each other that we lost track of time. It’s no wonder there was a rebellion calling you a lust-driven monarch,” Vinea said, slowly brushing Tatar’s bangs off his forehead.

Usually, his forehead was exposed, making him seem fierce, but with his hair down, he looked like a docile puppy. Remembering the time loop where rumors of the emperor’s insatiable lust had spread across the empire, he seemed like a completely different person.

Under his smooth forehead, his sharp eyes blinked languidly, seemingly content.

“So, my Empress, do you think continuing to dig into Sefitiana will reveal the answer?” he asked.

“Sefitiana has given us a clue,” Vinea said, sitting on the table behind her and crossing her legs.

“You’re not stupid,” she added with a small provocation.

Tatar chuckled softly, dropping his head. When he looked up again, his eyes were half-closed, and he leaned back in his chair.

“Sefitiana said to love until the god’s miracle occurred. It implied that the moment of true miracle was when the first owner’s wish was granted,” he stated.

“And what next?” Vinea prompted.

“Based on the Chief Priest’s information, if Sefitiana is deeply tied to this time loop, then it’s likely that the wish made by its first possessor trapped us in this loop,” Tatar reasoned.

“Exactly. If we learn what that person wished for and fulfill it, the loop should end,” Vinea concluded.

Tatar’s eyes narrowed as he looked up at Vinea.

“You seem pleased,” he remarked.

“Of course. We’re finally seeing the end of this tedious loop,” she said, tilting her head back to gaze at the chandelier hanging from the high ceiling.

Before the time loop began, there were moments when the role of Empress felt overwhelming, and she wished for no tomorrow. She had hoped for an accident, like the chandelier falling and ending her life quickly, without prolonged suffering.

Now, recalling those distant memories, she felt a surge of hope at the prospect of returning to that time. It was a rare feeling of hope and excitement.

Tatar’s lips moved as their eyes met. His silver-gray eyes were deeply shadowed.

Again. He felt a terrible anxiety, a fear that Vinea might leave him alone in this stagnant time.

Why did he feel this way? Was it because of the hope reflected in her blue eyes? They shone so beautifully, in stark contrast to his own, swallowed by darkness, stirring these emotions.

He was overwhelmed by the impulse to possess her, to confirm that she was bound to him.

…No, was that enough? He didn’t say the words, unsure of what he truly wanted from her.

Finally, Tatar tore his gaze from Vinea’s face.

“Now, all that’s left is to restore the abandoned temple. We’ve secured the temple’s cooperation through the Chief Priest, and my letter to Veshnu ensured their preparations are complete…,” he said, standing up.

Vinea’s lips curled into a small smile.

“Your Majesty, it’s time to get to work.”

* * *

It seemed the Chief Priest hadn’t adequately conveyed just how unhinged the Empress of Tessibania truly was. The High Priest, doubting the Chief Priest’s report, had come to the palace under the guise of fostering relations, ostensibly to verify the truth himself. Ultimately, Vinea had to drink the truth serum in front of him, reiterating that Sefitiana had not been taken out of the temple. Only then did the High Priest leave, albeit reluctantly.

This left the High Priest indebted significantly. Not only had he falsely accused an innocent person of theft, but he had also exposed the secrets the temple had been hiding from both empires. As a gesture of apology, he promised that for the next three years, all temple donations would be made in the Empress’s name and that he would actively support the restoration of the abandoned temple. The temple, which had maintained neutrality, now had to be mindful of the Tessibania royal family. The reputation gained without spending a single penny would only deepen over time.

With the restoration of the abandoned temple underway, Vinea had hoped for a brief respite. However, just as she decided to visit the newly completed pond in the Empress’s palace, an unwelcome guest arrived.

“Greetings to the glory of Tessibania. I apologize for the intrusion. I am Megina, the mistress of the Castallo family,” the visitor introduced herself.

It was their first formal meeting, but Vinea knew her name. Megina was a woman whose scandals with the former emperor were endless—a name often mentioned in whispers. Moreover, she was the biological mother of Eurene Castallo. 

Despite the bow and the grace that exuded from her every gesture, Vinea’s eyes narrowed slightly. Trapped in an eternal loop and having to deal with Eurene in each one made it impossible for her to view anyone associated with her in a positive light.

It was no surprise then that Tatar, in the early stages of the loop when he still tried to protect his people, did not stop her when she invaded the Castallo estate to execute Eurene. 

What puzzled her was why the Duchess, who could go to great lengths to secure her daughter’s position as Empress, had never intervened directly in any of the loops.

‘I can understand why, though,’ she mused. The Duchess was likely wary, fearing that protecting her daughter might expose her long-held secrets and bring everything she had built crashing down.

“Please, have a seat. We can talk more as we walk to the newly decorated pond,” Vinea said.

“Thank you,” Megina replied.

There was no hint of pride or ambition in the way she walked behind her maid, who held a lower rank. Meanwhile, the maid, Renue, was clearly flustered, glancing nervously at the Duchess for approval. Yet the Duchess’s calm gaze merely took in the changed Empress’s palace.

The pond was quickly reached, being near the original garden location. The addition of large deciduous trees created the illusion of a forest. 

Seated across from the Duchess at a small table, Vinea spoke first.

“The palace’s scenery must look different from what you remember.”

“I heard His Majesty arranged it. It must be because he has great affection for the Empress,” Megina responded.

“I heard you had frequent interactions with the royal family before the marriage. Are you disappointed that the rare Baloua flowers were completely uprooted?” Vinea asked.

“It is a natural right for royalty to enjoy. I have no reason to be disappointed,” Megina replied calmly.

“Your daughter seemed to think otherwise,” Vinea said pointedly.

The Duchess paused slightly but didn’t show any surprise, indicating she had anticipated that Eurene might be mentioned.

“My daughter must have been rude,” she admitted.

“Just rude? Is that all?” Vinea’s words carried the arrogance typical of someone in power, her blue eyes deep and unreadable.

How could such a presence come from someone who was, until recently, just a princess of Veshnu? The Duchess, barely older than Vinea, felt as if she was facing a seasoned opponent of equal or greater age.

“Seeing her expression harden at the news of the garden’s destruction, one might think she was the mistress of the Empress’s palace, not me,” Vinea said.

The Duchess struggled to maintain her composure. She had suspected Eurene had greatly displeased the Empress. As soon as she heard Eurene had returned to the capital, she had brought her back to the estate, demanding to know why she had visited the Empress. Eurene had only protested her innocence.

‘What on earth did you do, Eurene?’ she thought. What could have caused such a severe reaction from the Empress?

Despite the sigh that threatened to escape, the Duchess hadn’t come today to question her daughter’s actions.

“It is my fault for not raising her properly. Having spent most of her life confined to the estate, she is inexperienced and has made mistakes,” she admitted.

“Is it just a mistake?” Vinea questioned.

“…”

Before the Duchess could answer, Renue arrived with refreshments, placing them on the table. Vinea continued speaking without giving the Duchess a chance to relax.

“The young lady I saw was intelligent, perfectly polite, and displayed excellent judgment. She was more noble than anyone. In fact, in the village of Haksya, she did nothing wrong, at least in my presence.”

Eurene’s handling of their first encounter in the Empress’s palace had been exemplary, as had her courageous solo exploration of the village. But knowing what lay beneath the surface, Vinea couldn’t view her favorably, nor did she want to.

The Duchess felt both relieved that her fears hadn’t materialized and perplexed by the Empress’s hostility toward her daughter.

‘Eurene is indeed clever. She wouldn’t have made a grave mistake just because the royal garden was destroyed,’ she thought. At least she had prevented the worst-case scenario. She had hurried to the palace, fearing her daughter might have made an irreparable mistake, but perhaps it was all for naught.

The Duchess finally lifted the tea she hadn’t touched, only for Vinea to speak again.

“However, if she harbored feelings for a cousin by blood, the story changes.”