Chapter 77
Chapter 77
“Your Highness, the hallway is quite drafty. How about wearing something to keep warm?”
“Mm, y-yes.”
The princess’s cloak, which she wrapped around herself, shimmered with a bluish-silver sheen and was luxuriously adorned with ornate jewels around the collar.
Her health had yet to fully recover, so rather than the cloak being worn by the princess, it looked more as though the cloak was wearing her. Yet, no one around dared to smile at the sight.
Instead, her frail figure still emanated the aura of someone chosen by destiny, and those nearby bowed their heads instinctively.
With the support of the head lady-in-waiting, Princess Anna made her way to the drawing room where Consort Darien was waiting.
She was curious why Consort Darien had suddenly sought her out, and if this meeting allowed her to lower Consort Darien’s guard, all the better.
Even before reaching the door of the drawing room, Anna began coughing, loud enough to be heard. She hoped Consort Darien’s attendants would report her condition afterward.
As expected, Consort Darien’s attendants flinched every time the princess coughed, their eyes darting nervously. Anna took note of their faces and then stood before the door.
At that moment, the doors swung open with a loud proclamation:
“Her Highness Princess Anna has arrived!”
There was no way anyone inside the room would not have heard it, it was loud enough to echo even into the gardens. Yet, there was no response from within.
The princess remained motionless. For someone raised in the imperial palace, such power plays weren’t intimidating in the least.
After a few minutes, the sound of heels clicking echoed from inside.
Consort Darien walked in, her signature jet-black hair swaying behind her. She looked over the princess’s face, then the cloak she wore, before curtsying deeply.
“Your Highness, it’s been a while. Thank you so much for welcoming me, even without an appointment.”
‘Welcoming’… Everyone inwardly scoffed at the word.
No one in this space had done anything worthy of that word’s use. Still, Consort Darien was impressive in her own shameless way. Even Anna couldn’t help but be slightly dumbfounded by her cheerful expression, though none of that showed on her face.
“You said you were unwell, and indeed, you look quite pale. Please, have a seat.”
Consort Darien gestured as if this were her own drawing room. The blatant audacity of it made the princess’s attendants snort through their noses.
Anna followed Consort Darien toward the center of the room. As she walked, the jewels on her cloak clinked together with a soft, clear sound. Hearing it, Consort Darien bit the inside of her cheek.
That very cloak was something Consort Darien herself had coveted. Years ago, when she was still the daughter of a count, she had found it at the most prestigious atelier in the Sylvian Empire and begged to buy it.
But it had been a custom piece, not for sale, and they had refused to reproduce it. Disappointed, she had returned empty-handed.
And now that cloak, one she had wanted so dearly, was wrapped around a scrawny, pitiful princess? Life truly was unfair.
Darien believed it suited her far more than the princess. But because she wasn’t royalty, it had been taken from her right before her eyes.
Without the title of princess, Anna would have been indistinguishable from a beggar. Such a glamorous cloak didn’t suit her at all.
Cursing Anna in her mind, Consort Darien took the seat of highest status and began commanding the attendants with a flick of her finger.
“The tea’s gone cold. Reheat it. And bring some shortcake for the refreshments. Just a few pieces will do. Ah! And I’m cold too, so bring me a cloak.”
“My lady, the refreshments today are tarts. Additionally, we have pudding and kouign-amann prepared.”
[It’s something like a croissant, but sweet. You can search it, it seems delicious]
“What is that supposed to mean? Are you saying you deliberately didn’t prepare what I wanted? That I’m not even allowed to eat?!”
She was being unreasonable. The attendant was simply informing her of the available options. Anyone else would have understood. But not Consort Darien.
Enraged that an attendant dared speak back to her, she began lashing out verbally.
Anna’s hands trembled as she watched the confrontation. Her gaze flitted anxiously toward the noise before she softly intervened.
“Da… Darien, m-my lady, p-please, s-stop…”
“Your Highness! Stay out of this! Don’t you see she’s disrespecting me?!”
“I-It’s a m-misunderstanding…”
Consort Darien scoffed at Anna’s defense. She looked as though she couldn’t believe her ears.
“If you treat me this way, Your Highness, then of course the servants look down on me too!”
“W-what are you talking about…?”
Anna’s eyes widened. She couldn’t understand why Darien suddenly accused her of disrespect.
Darien began accusing Anna of slandering her perfume in front of others and distressing the emperor without cause—despite the fact that Duke Harrison had proven that the perfume had indeed been poisoned. She had conveniently forgotten that detail.
Watching Consort Darien, who seemed to have come only to torment her under the pretense of a visit, Anna sneered inwardly.
With such reckless behavior, Darien might not live to see the next year.
Anna acted just as Darien hoped, flinching and reacting visibly to her every word, giving the impression that Darien had the upper hand.
Emboldened, Darien became increasingly vicious.
And then it happened.
Anna murmured, “Darien… y-you’re… s-scary…” and collapsed sideways.
Though her voice had been quiet until now, this phrase was loud and clear to everyone in the room. The moment she fainted, chaos erupted in the princess’s palace once again.
“Your Highness!! Your Highness!! Please wake up! Fetch the royal physician, now!!”
The head lady-in-waiting turned pale and rushed to Anna, while other attendants dashed out to get help. Amidst the commotion, Anna’s eyelids remained firmly shut.
Even Consort Darien, who had been facing her directly, was stunned. She had known the princess was weak, but not to this extent.
Watching the color drain from Anna’s lips, she furrowed her brow in fake concern, though inwardly, she was gleeful.
Even though the poisoned incense had been removed from the palace, Anna was still in critical condition. Given the prolonged exposure to the paralyzing toxin, it might be impossible for her to recover fully.
*Looks like I won’t even have to lift a finger. This might resolve itself.
Darien squeezed out some crocodile tears and announced she was too shocked and needed to leave and rest. But with everyone preoccupied by Anna’s collapse, no one cared whether Darien left or stayed.
Offended by the indifference, she wanted to scream but held her tongue and left quietly. After all, she had succeeded in tormenting the princess once more.
She’ll probably be bedridden for days. Maybe even forever. That would be ideal.
“What a beautiful palace,” Darien said, turning to her attendant. “Don’t you think it suits me more than the princess?”
“Yes, my lady!” the loyal attendant replied enthusiastically.
Pleased with the answer, Darien beamed and stepped lightly into the carriage that awaited her.
