Chapter 11
(11) I Will Protect Your Majesty (3)
‘I can’t use sorcery myself, but I can neutralize and alter it to create different outcomes.’
The assassin’s body bore old scars.
‘If I can have this man…’
Eleanor lightly touched the burn-like mark on the assassin’s arm.
‘I might even learn the reason behind these scars.’
For now, the assassin’s recovery was the priority. Just in case, Eleanor erected a barrier around him to prevent his escape and got up.
There were still things she had to do today.
‘I must send word.’
She had already received permission from Heraith in the torture chamber.
Eleanor sat at the desk tucked in the corner of the drawing room and began writing a long letter addressed to Count Snow’s territory.
Once she had sealed the envelope carefully, she opened the window and looked to the sky.
A small, white bird the size of a fist flew down and landed on her shoulder.
Eleanor tied the now miniaturized envelope to the bird’s ankle.
“Please, Milk. As fast as you can.”
The white bird named Milk gave Eleanor’s shoulder a peck with its beak as if in understanding, then took flight.
It flew so swiftly that no one in the palace noticed it had come or gone.
***
When Eleanor entered the torture chamber, Oscar was not there, so he had no idea what had transpired between Eleanor and Heraith.
Heraith had only told Oscar to secretly send the assassin to the Tulip Palace, so after completing the task, he headed straight for the imperial palace.
“I’ve delivered Your Majesty’s gift to Lady Snow. It didn’t seem like an appropriate gift for a lady, but she seemed to like it.”
“I see.”
“What is it that Lady Snow is trying to do?”
Heraith was silent for a moment before slowly recounting the conversation he had with Eleanor.
Listening, Oscar realized there was a far bigger issue than simply sending an assassin as a gift.
“She deduced that on her own? While holed up in the Tulip Palace, barely stepping outside? No, Your Majesty—why didn’t you tell me you suspected such a thing?”
“I was going to.”
“When? After everything blew up?”
“After I resolved it properly.”
“My goodness, Your Majesty really…”
Oscar trailed off, shaking his head.
“Your Majesty’s problem is always trying to shoulder everything alone.”
“Spare me the critique.”
“Yes, well, that’s not the issue right now. Lady Snow hasn’t been in the palace long, yet she seems to know more about its affairs than I do. It’s embarrassing I didn’t think of that first.”
Watching Oscar unable to lift his head, Heraith thought of Eleanor.
More precisely, her voice.
—‘If I become Empress, I will protect Your Majesty with my life. Because we’re family.’
Family.
To Heraith, who had only ever known family as people who wanted to cut his throat, the word felt laughably annoying.
Family. Just a bond forced upon you by birth—what’s so important about that?
Even if he were to marry Eleanor, it would be a legally bound relationship, not one of shared blood.
A fragile bond easily broken.
Family. And a married couple.
“Ah, I also asked Lady Snow about Duke Owen.”
“I see.”
While investigating Eleanor Snow, it had been easy to discover her past engagement with Franklin Owen.
Had there been no war over the territory, the two would likely have married next year.
“It didn’t seem like an engagement made out of affection.”
“And you believe that?”
“Even if I don’t believe her entirely, I don’t think she’d abandon the wedding with Your Majesty just because of lingering feelings for Duke Owen.”
Heraith chuckled briefly.
He could not imagine Eleanor fleeing in a wedding dress toward her former fiancé.
It was far easier to picture her drawing a sword in the middle of the ceremony and slicing off Franklin Owen’s head with a sword dance.
“How curious. I haven’t even truly seen Eleanor Snow’s power, yet it’s so easy to imagine her dancing with a blade.”
Oscar recalled Eleanor from earlier and nodded.
“She seems gentle and soft at a glance, but once you speak with her, it feels like facing a knight.”
“A knight…”
Heraith pondered briefly before speaking.
“Bring Eyo Bastid. This time, I want to send a proper gift to the future Empress.”
***
Although the White Knights were ranked second among the four knight orders owned by Heraith, their ability rivaled the Black Knights.
They were separated only for management reasons, as too many knights in one order would be unwieldy.
Eyo, the vice-commander of the White Knights, showed no surprise at being tasked to serve the guest of the Tulip Palace like a personal attendant.
Instead, he smiled and asked,
“Should I only protect? Or should I observe as well?”
Heraith gave no answer.
Eyo lightly thumped his left chest with a fist.
“I will be present for every moment of the Tulip Palace guest.”
***
‘So that’s why she came.’
Consort Aurelia stifled a laugh as she looked at Calliope.
So transparent.
Aurelia, too, had been keeping an eye on the guest of Tulip Palace.
But the woman had been brought in by none other than the Emperor himself.
‘And she’s the daughter of Count Snow…’
Even Aurelia had heard rumors about the northern territory war—how Owen and Osborn attacked while Snow was worn out from battling monsters.
Despicable, certainly, but politics are rarely beautiful.
“Now that the third Empress is dead, it’s obvious why a new woman’s been brought to the palace. Eleanor Snow will surely become the next Empress. I thought you would be next, but oh well.”
Clearly, Calliope had come to provoke her.
Of course, Aurelia also didn’t want Eleanor Snow as the next Empress.
But she had no intention of moving against someone without knowing their full background.
“You seem mistaken. I have no ambition for the Empress seat.”
She did. Desperately.
Not for the title, but for Heraith Delgado. To be that man’s wife.
That required being Empress, since Heraith never let any consort into the Emperor’s residence.
If she could win his heart, the title didn’t matter.
“His Majesty told us to fulfill our roles as consorts. I simply want to obey His Majesty’s command. Isn’t it the same for you?”
“What? Oh, of course. I wouldn’t dream of becoming Empress. I just thought it’d be you, so I came to console you.”
“Then this was a pointless visit. I need no consolation.”
For now.
Heraith hadn’t publicly declared Eleanor as the next Empress yet.
He was cautious and would only decide after fully assessing her.
There was still time.
‘I’ll investigate too. See just how far she can go.’
Unlike the other consorts with no factions in the palace, Aurelia, born of the noble Rogers family, had some power.
If Eleanor were chosen, she could be dealt with then. No need to be anxious. Unlike Calliope, who clearly was.
“Eleanor Snow is quite beautiful. If she becomes Empress, it’ll be too late for regrets. With her beauty and powerful family, would she ever give up the throne? His Majesty will fall for her too, I’m sure.”
It was a good jab.
Aurelia suppressed her rising irritation and smiled.
“As I said, I have no ambition. I only wish for His Majesty’s safety and peace.”
***
‘That fox of a woman.’
As Calliope exited the Lily Palace, she muttered curses under her breath.
‘No ambition, my foot.’
Everyone knew Aurelia was in love with Heraith.
One only had to see her face light up whenever he appeared, it was too obvious. The way she looked like she was entranced just by his presence…
‘She’s only calm because she hasn’t seen Eleanor’s face yet. Once she does, she’ll be as anxious as I am. That woman’s too pretty.’
Of course, Aurelia was beautiful too.
She took pride in her noble elegance.
‘But if we’re talking elegance, Eleanor Snow is… **** it, why am I complimenting that girl? Annoying.’
Calliope gritted her teeth.
‘Aurelia may act composed, but now’s not the time for composure. We have to get Eleanor Snow out of the palace—no matter what.’
