Chapter 132
“Oh, so this is what they call a magic potion.”
Indeed. What she was holding was a magic potion that could change one’s appearance.
It had the exact same effect as the juice that transformed people’s appearances in that magic school movie she had seen in her past life.
Violet had secretly procured it at Alice’s request.
That’s not to say she had bribed Violet or asked her to do anything wrong.
She had simply asked her to purchase a potion from a legal magic shop.
In any case, her reason for making such a request to Violet was none other than the Empress.
More precisely, because of the dark specter near the Empress. She had obtained this potion to find the object containing that specter.
So, two days ago.
As Kylus began efficiently handling matters related to the Second Prince’s trial, Alice didn’t need to worry about that aspect.
Therefore, Alice started focusing on a more important matter.
The mission entrusted to her by the deity.
‘Alice, you must find the dark specter as quickly as possible. The specter will surely be near its host. Search around the Empress thoroughly. Having received my power, you will be able to sense the aura of the dark specter.’
Although the deity had practically told her where the dark specter would be, she couldn’t immediately go looking for it.
The problem began with getting near the Empress to find the dark specter.
Alice and the Empress were sworn enemies trying to kill each other. What pretext could she possibly use to visit the Empress’s palace?
If she suddenly suggested having tea together, the Empress would be waiting with poison in the tea.
So there was absolutely no way she could go to the Empress’s palace through normal procedures. Then she would have to infiltrate secretly, but that wasn’t easy either.
The palace where the Empress of a nation lived would have strict security, and Alice knew nothing beyond using holy power.
She would certainly be caught before even entering the Empress’s palace.
This wouldn’t work, that wouldn’t work. With no good solutions coming to mind, Alice was tearing her hair out.
But then, Kylus had mentioned while discussing the trial:
‘On the day of the Second Prince’s trial, I plan to link the assassination attempt and obtain search rights for the Empress’s palace.’
He had continued with a resolute expression:
‘It won’t be easy, but since the current Empress is the Second Prince’s birth mother, if we push for her cooperation to prove her innocence, she will comply. And during that search, I intend to find evidence of the Empress’s black magic.’
Kylus hadn’t completely abandoned the matter of the Empress after all.
So that’s why he wanted to pin the hunting ground assassination attempt on the Second Prince too.
Alice had quietly admired Kylus’s plan to kill two birds with one stone when it suddenly struck her.
She had finally found an opportunity to enter the Empress’s palace.
The search of the Empress’s palace.
That moment, when the palace would be openly turned upside down, would be Alice’s perfect opportunity to infiltrate.
If she disguised herself well, amidst the confusion, one person like her wouldn’t stand out much.
Thinking this was truly a good opportunity, Alice headed to the temple on the afternoon of the day Kylus went to the Imperial Palace.
And she met with the deity to talk.
She asked for help to sneak into the Empress’s palace.
‘Can’t holy power change a person’s appearance or teleport or something like that?’
That’s what Alice had asked.
She knew the essence of holy power was healing, but since it could also attack when strong enough, she wondered if it could be used in other ways.
Wasn’t a deity’s power supposed to be unlimited in its scope?
But the deity’s response was merciless.
‘Do you think holy power is some kind of cure-all? Holy power is fundamentally different from magic. Divine power can create, but it cannot twist and change an inherent state like magic can.’
‘Then what should I do? I can’t enter the Empress’s palace looking like this… And I can’t ask others for help either. They might learn about the dark specter and the taboo…’
When Alice looked at the deity as if asking what she should do, wrinkles formed on the deity’s cute face.
The deity paced the sanctuary platform with small hands clasped behind his back, as if deep in thought, then said:
‘…I have a few ancient magic scrolls. Magic scrolls that can transport you to a desired location. We can resolve the teleportation to the Empress’s palace with that… As for changing your appearance for disguise, figure that out yourself.’
‘Me? How am I supposed to disguise myself? All I know is how to use holy power?’
‘Aren’t there magic shops in this world? They should have magic potions that can change your appearance for a short time, if not for long. Get one of those.’
That’s how Alice came to ask Violet for the magic potion.
Violet was the safest person who wouldn’t suspect anything about her.
And she had no connection to Kylus either.
“So the potion is taken care of. He said he’ll give me the magic scroll on the day… I guess all preparations are complete.”
Alice planned to secretly move from the sanctuary to the Imperial Palace on the day Kylus would search the Empress’s palace.
If she suddenly disappeared from the ducal residence, it would raise suspicions.
“Stay here safely until that day.”
Alice placed the crystal vial in the first drawer of the small nightstand beside her bed.
And just then, a knock came at the door, followed by Aileen’s voice.
“My lady, the Duke has returned.”
“Alright.”
After tidying up the box, Alice left the bedroom to hear the results of the meeting from Kylus.
At the hour when the sunset that had dyed the sky red had disappeared and dusk was beginning to fall.
Though it was well into dinnertime, the Empress of the Pentaum Empire was still standing in the glass greenhouse.
A beautiful glass greenhouse full of roses of all colors, cultivated by the Empress herself.
Lady Hestils, the head lady-in-waiting who had been watching the Empress trim rose thorns with an elegant face, quietly lit the darkening greenhouse.
She had read the Empress’s poor mood, though she hadn’t said anything.
The Empress’s hands paused momentarily at the sudden brightness, but soon continued to quietly trim the rose thorns.
How much time had passed like this?
When the night sky had completely darkened, the previously quiet area outside the glass greenhouse suddenly became noisy.
“Let go! How dare you block my way! Do you all have a death wish?!”
The sound of a commotion grew louder. But the Empress remained focused on her roses as if she couldn’t hear anything.
However, a shout that could no longer be ignored rang in her ears.
“Mother!”
Mother.
At those three syllables she despised most in the world, the Empress’s scissors stopped.
Setting the rose down on the table, the Empress turned to Lady Hestils.
“Open the door, please.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Lady Hestils opened the greenhouse door and ordered the knights blocking the Second Prince’s way to stand aside.
As soon as the knights were removed, the Second Prince entered the greenhouse with a rough demeanor, passing by Lady Hestils.
Untidy footsteps that irritated the Empress’s ears. Those thundering feet stopped before her.
Without raising her head, the Empress picked up the red rose she had placed on the table. And she began creating a beautiful flower arrangement by placing the rose in a vase.
The Empress’s appearance was utterly serene, unlike the Second Prince, who was boiling with anger.
The Empress didn’t even look at him, which ultimately caused the Second Prince to lose control of his expression.
“Mother!”
“Don’t raise your voice. You’re not some commoner—how dare you raise your voice in front of whom?”
It was hard to believe that this voice, so icy cold, came from the Empress who was rumored to have the gentlest and warmest heart of any Empress in history.
For a moment, the Second Prince’s shoulders flinched, and familiar fear settled in his opal-colored eyes.
Because Axion knew better than anyone how terrible and frightening a person his mother, the Empress whom the whole world praised, truly was.
But today, he couldn’t stay quiet just because he was afraid. If he did, everything he had would fly away.
“…I apologize. But this is no time to be doing this.”
Axion spoke to his mother, who still wouldn’t even glance at him.
“You must know, haven’t you? That His Majesty has accepted the absurd demand to put me on trial!”
“Yes, I heard that was the case.”
The Empress’s gentle voice rang out. It was utterly impassive and indifferent, as if observing a third party’s affairs.
“‘That was the case’? Is that all you have to say? Mother, you must persuade His Majesty immediately to withdraw the trial.”
Axion exclaimed, almost wailing.
“Regardless of the trial’s outcome, the moment I stand in court, my honor will plummet to the ground. It’s too humiliating, Mother!”
And at that moment, the Empress finally raised her head to look at Axion.
As their eyes met directly, Axion’s gaze wavered at the Empress’s violet eyes. She gazed at him and slowly moved her lips.
