As Roselia hesitated, Nadya lowered her head with a self-deprecating smile.
“I don’t even have enough money for medicine to last the day, yet… here I am with my pathetic pride.”
Watching her bowed head, Roselia slowly shook her head. She glanced at the painting—a brilliant, haunting sky that felt almost too vivid to be real—and murmured, “It was your last shred of self-respect. The only thing that allowed you to keep going, Nadya.”
For a moment, Nadya’s dim eyes turned toward Roselia, appearing startled. Roselia forced a smile. A wave of sorrow welled up in Nadya’s face, like a child who had finally met someone on her side. Tears began to spill from her lifeless, ash-gray eyes. Roselia watched in silence as Nadya buried her face in her knees and began to sob, her thin shoulders shaking.
* * *
Carrying the carefully wrapped painting, Roselia walked cautiously through the Imperial palace corridors. It was a gift from Nadya, a token of gratitude for saving her. Roselia had hesitated to accept it, knowing Nadya’s dire circumstances, but she had ultimately relented because Nadya insisted that only by giving it could she feel unburdened. The fact that Nadya refused to take a single coin only made Roselia’s heart feel heavier.
In the original novel, Nadya had gifted the painting to Evelionne De Rugvelzet, who had saved her, also refusing payment. To Nadya, the act of selling her art like mere merchandise was something she could not tolerate.
In the original timeline, the Crown Princess had attempted to sponsor Nadya, but the artist had passed away after suffering from chronic illness and abuse.
However, things were different now. The timeline had accelerated, but she had intervened before the abuse began, and there were still two months left before Nadya was due to succumb to her illness. If she secured the Crown Princess’s sponsorship and medical treatment now, there was a real chance for recovery.
Lost in these thoughts, Roselia walked behind the servant with a stiff expression until she reached the drawing room for her audience.
“Your Royal Highness the Crown Princess, the servant from the Baltezar Duchy has arrived.”
“Show him in.”
The doors opened to the sound of Evelionne De Rugvelzet’s elegant voice. Evelionne sat with graceful poise, offering a gentle smile. Watching her, Roselia was suddenly struck by a wave of guilt; she remembered the Crown Princess’s gaze toward her and the Crown Prince at the Closette debutante. She had been so caught up in the affairs of Klaus and Nadya that she had forgotten: she was currently posing as the illicit lover of a Crown Prince who already had a wife.
“It’s been a while, Antonio.”
“A-ah…! Yes! Have you been in good health, Your Royal Highness…?”
Seeing Roselia tense from head to toe, the Crown Princess smiled kindly, as if she had an intuition about the situation. “Was it Roselia? Antonio’s younger sister?”
“Pardon?”
“The beautiful woman from the Closette debutante ball. I heard about her from Closette.”
The Crown Princess brought up the topic Roselia had hoped to avoid, her expression so calm that Roselia couldn’t help but look flustered.
“There’s no need to be nervous. Knowing she is Antonio’s sister actually sets my mind at ease.”
“Pardon?”
“If she was raised with an older brother like Antonio, she must be a fine and upright young lady.”
Caught in a conversation where she couldn’t grasp the true intention, Roselia blinked in confusion. Evelionne smiled thinly and continued in a calm tone.
“I would like Antonio’s sister… that is, Miss Roselia, to become Esteban’s mistress.”
“Pardon…???”
What kind of nonsense was this? As Roselia stared, stunned into speechlessness, the Crown Princess smiled peacefully.
“Of course, Miss Roselia’s own opinion on the matter is important.”
“I refuse! No… well, she will likely refuse!”
At Roselia’s firm reply, the Crown Princess lowered her gaze, seemingly regretful. “Is that so? It wouldn’t be such a bad proposal… Of course, it isn’t the position of the legal wife, but it would come with wealth and honor to match.”
Wait, was this something the legal wife should be saying? Roselia looked at her with wide eyes, trying to regain her composure.
“That… my sister hasn’t received the education to be a woman of the Imperial family… and beyond the name of a Barony, her status is no different from a commoner’s…”
“It is not too late for her to receive education from the Imperial family. Her background or status does not matter. There are precedents for past Emperors to take commoners as mistresses.”
The Crown Princess continued with a serene smile. “I do not mean for her to enter as a mistress right now. According to Imperial law, the Emperor may only take concubines after ascending to the throne. My proposal refers to the time after Esteban is crowned Emperor.”
How could she say such things without batting an eye? Roselia looked at her in disbelief.
“If that happens… what gain is there for Your Royal Highness?”
Perhaps not expecting such a question, the Crown Princess looked at her in mild confusion before carefully opening her lips. “Esteban will continue to distance himself from the palace.”
She knows that very well. Should I say that the female lead is different, after all?
“The more he does that, the more rumors will circulate in the Aristocratic Council. However, a sovereign taking a mistress is a legitimate and natural occurrence under Imperial law. If there is a woman Esteban desires, bringing her into the Imperial family through proper procedure would prevent significant backlash among the nobles.”
Isn’t that just a good thing for Crown Prince Esteban? As Roselia looked at her, unable to fathom her logic, Evelionne continued.
“The more Esteban remains aloof, the more my own family, the Marquess Herden, and other nobles who are displeased with the Crown Prince will try to undermine him. This weakens the Imperial authority.”
The Crown Princess looked at Roselia with a resolute expression, as if steeling herself. “As the future Empress, I must protect this country and the crown. I cannot just stand by and let the Imperial family be shaken.”
Roselia opened her mouth in awe, finding her resolve surprising and respectable. Yet, a feeling of doubt lingered.
“That sounds like the thoughts of a future Empress… but what is Your Royal Highness’s own heart?”
“Pardon…?”
The Crown Princess’s expression flickered with surprise. Roselia stared directly at her.
“I mean, how does Evelionne feel as a woman? Is it really okay? I am asking if this is a decision for you, Evelionne, rather than for the Imperial family and the nation.”
The Crown Princess seemed at a loss for words. Seeing her lost in thought, even lowering her head as if faced with a grand dilemma, Roselia felt a bitterness in her heart. She knew Evelionne’s obsession with the greater good all too well. Even while the Crown Prince was causing trouble, she had performed her duties as the highest authority in the inner court with cold, calm efficiency. She often handled the work meant for ministers and diplomats. Since the results were always excellent, no one stopped her.
Roselia thought she was truly amazing, yet she felt a profound pity for her.
After a long silence, Evelionne finally parted her lips.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been asked such a question before…”
The Crown Princess wore a bitter smile.
“Since I was young, I was taught the virtues, education, and etiquette required of an Empress. I grew up as if that were the sole purpose of my existence. It was such a given that I had never imagined myself as anything other than an Empress.”
Her gaze, which had been wistfully tracing the table, turned back to Roselia. “As a result, I think I simply assumed that my mindset as a Crown Princess was one and the same with my own heart.”
Listening quietly, Roselia spoke carefully.
“And now?”
The Crown Princess gave a self-deprecating smile and looked lonelily out the window. “Truthfully, I have never thought about anything for the sake of ‘me’—not the Crown Princess. But… your question has made me realize one thing.”
She turned to Roselia and smiled faintly. “I think… I am a little lonely. Trying to endure in this flashy, opulent place called the Imperial palace…”
The loneliness etched into Evelionne’s expression made Roselia’s heart heavy.
“But what I desire remains the same. The safety and stability of the Imperial family. However… sometimes… perhaps a little too often… I feel hurt by Esteban. If he dislikes me, I at least wanted him to treat me as a partner, not a spouse, just as I do. A business partner to help build up the Empire together.”
For someone who had been educated to be an Empress her entire life, even this realization was a breakthrough. Watching her, Roselia spoke with resolve.
“Your Royal Highness, I am currently working as a servant of the Duchy, but no matter what anyone says, I am Antonio.”
“Pardon…?”
“The servant of the Duchy is merely a shell to express my social obligations; the true ‘me’ inside is Antonio.”
Technically, it was Roselia, but this was a resolve she constantly repeated while playing her role.
“Everyone wears a shell based on their duties, responsibilities, or circumstances. Your shell is that of the Crown Princess. But you must not forget the core inside.”
For a moment, Evelionne’s pupils trembled.
“Even if others call me a servant of the Duchy, I must not forget who I am.”
Evelionne’s violet eyes, which had been staring blankly as if struck by a shock, began to soften. Seeing Roselia’s upright, unwavering gaze, Evelionne let out a hollow laugh and finally lowered her head. Meeting that gaze made her feel exposed, and she could not bear to look away.
“Antonio… you are truly a good person.”
Evelionne slowly lifted her head to meet Roselia’s eyes. Her pupils, filled with sharp intelligence, now held a touch of warmth.
“A truly wonderful person. Even to the point that I am falling for you.”
Uh… That’s a bit dangerous…