Chapter 19 – Good At Fighting

“It’s a rumor.”

“What rudeness to Her Majesty–!”

‘How could a noblewoman act so carelessly and show such ugly behavior!’

The Countess blushed under the mix of harsh criticism and contempt in the noble ladies’ gazes. However, thanks to the Countess, Gloria smiled with satisfaction as the ladies who had been wary of the Emperor were clearly influenced by power.

‘If you bring those rumors here, you might be criticized, but since everyone wants to hear about it anyway, you’ll become the star of the party.’

In her mind, Gloria felt like awarding the Countess a prize. In the past, she would have shrugged in anxiety, but not now.

‘Who knew I would change like this after being killed once?’

Gloria pretended to drink her tea and quickly glanced at the ladies with cold eyes. Seeing the Countess and all the other ladies staring expectantly like a school of starved angler fish, Gloria replied as if she had not heard anything.

“Okay. What are you so curious about? If I know anything, I’ll answer it.”

“Oh!”

The ladies’ eyes gleamed even more at the Emperor’s words, as she meekly allowed questions. Gloria smiled brightly in front of those clear, obvious gazes. After the rumor spread, they were thinking about probing to their heart’s content and ripping Gloria apart. Thinking it would be fun.

‘Those who have maintained their neutrality so far will eventually line up, too.’ Gloria swallowed a laugh at the sight of the ladies holding each other in check.

It was obvious which rumor was floating around the palace. The fact that Gloria slapped her fiancé Erun in the face with great anger, and then Kaien and herself creating a strange tableau in the garden. The Emperor smiled bitterly at the young ladies who were looking at her so excited that their cheeks were tinted red like a girl in love.

‘Whether innocent or not… I wonder what kind of thoughts they’re having.’ Feeling uncomfortable with the ladies giggling excitedly and holding hands between them, Gloria rolled her eyes and looked away. The young ladies whispered to each other about what made the Emperor so impatient. Unlike the young ladies who purely thought of ‘love,’ Gloria remained silent in the face of the ladies weighing both sides trying to figure out the situation.

“Yeah, the Palace is like that,” Gloria murmured, taking a teaspoon and stirring her tea. This was the real interior of the Imperial Palace. All that mattered to them was whether Erun or Kaien would end up as Gloria’s husband. No one cared about her life or feelings.

‘Of course, I can’t help but feel bad.’

Gloria felt bitter at the cold cut of reality.

‘Yet, if you all think I’ll marry Erun again, you are greatly mistaken.’

An icy chill lingered in Gloria’s dark blue eyes. The Nobles’ attitude, considering that she, having grown up preciously in the palace, should not get involved in court affairs, would no longer prevail in this life.

Gloria turned toward the Countess, who was frantic. The Countess’ face was still red, but, as the star of the party, she asked at the expense of shame.

“Everyone knows that Her Majesty will marry Marquis Lebossi in two months, but… these days, strange rumors are circulating regarding the Duke of Ludenberg, so I am greatly worried about that.”

“Goodness…!”

“Countess Karol refrain from speaking such words!”

‘Heyy… you played all your cards in one turn…’

Gloria’s eyes widened at the spectacle of Countess Karol and the angry ladies.

‘One side is overdoing it to become the star of the party, and I guess the angry side is part of Erun’s faction.’

Gloria saw Countess Karol bowing her head under the harsh criticism of the ladies. She would have asked and prepared to slander her, yet Gloria felt a little pity for the way the Countess lowered her tail so easily. Nonetheless, Gloria listened to the voice coming from the other side.

“Don’t be so angry. The Imperial marriage is two months away but even Her Majesty can know love, too. A couple must have affection to last a long time, right?”

“An Imperial marriage is important, but a marriage without love… Just thinking about it is terrible.”

“Even if she is engaged, Her Majesty can choose a husband. For the sake of the Empire, she will form better ties with a better family.”

When the phrase ‘better family’ came out of a Lady’s mouth, Erun’s side inevitably ground their teeth. This was because, of course, if the family was higher than the Marquisate of Lebossi, they were obviously referring to the Duchy of Ludenberg. The ladies of Erun’s faction wrinkled their noses as if they had eaten a bug, and the ladies supporting Kaien giggled as if they had already won. Observing them, Gloria let out a small sigh. ‘If I divorce Kaien later, the Empire will be turned upside down.’

A thirst for blood began to permeate the tea party as butterflies fluttered softly. Gloria had no intention of stopping it in the first place, so she silently watched the two sides skirmish.

‘Do they understand? The Duke and I are just holding hands for each other’s purpose.’

For Gloria, this marriage was merely a means to weaken Erun’s power. And when they found the evidence that he had assassinated the late Emperor, she planned to send all who had helped him to death with Erun immediately. After removing the Marquis like that, Gloria intended to divorce and help Kaien emigrate to another country as he wanted. ‘How can I ask the man who was executed for my own stupidity to stay by my side?’ She was only grateful that, after the regression, Kaien didn’t try to kill her first.

‘How odious I must be in Kaien’s eyes, who had to witness his own sister’s death because of me…’

Gloria’s expression quickly darkened at the memory of Kaien’s cold expression. He avoided her and frowned deeply when they faced each other. He who tried to say something to her but bit his lip hard and turned away. He who hesitated after reaching out his hand and passed by… The amethyst eyes that still shook greatly whenever he saw her, whether in this life or the past one.

“Your Majesty.”

Even among all those expressions, his deep voice calling her recently began to stir something inside her. Kaien’s behavior—acting like a lover, kissing her hand, stroking her cheek— was something she had wanted even before the return, no, even before she was engaged to Erun.

‘Why did you have to have a nosebleed and ruin everything? Stupid Gloria!’

She got angry whenever she recalled that moment when she was overcome by the heat and had a nosebleed. Kaien was doing his part well, but why couldn’t she? Lamenting her foolish behavior, Gloria got depressed.

“Um, Your Majesty?”

The ladies cautiously called out Gloria, whose mood had changed drastically.

‘No matter how much she’s called the puppet Emperor, no one can stand against her mood!’

While wary of the Emperor, a noble lady gently waved her fan full of feathers and inquired.

“How hard must it have been? Originally, Your Majesty would have married the Marquis and passed along the headache of state affairs to your husband while resting comfortably yourself.”

Gloria clenched her fists tightly at the lady’s question, which seemed disrespectful somehow in contrast to the worried tone as she sighed.

‘I’ll make sure to get rid of you along with Erun. Enter them on the ‘To-Kill’ list. Engrave in your heart the names of those who ignored you and disregarded you and eliminate them in the future.’

Gloria once again held a chill light in her eyes and spoke to the restless ladies.

“I didn’t know such rumors were going around.”

“It’s just a rumor spread by fools.”

“Don’t mind them, Your Majesty. It’s just a false rumor made up by those who have no chance.”

At Gloria’s declaration, some of the ladies responded hastily, waving their fans. In response, the ladies who sided with Kaien bit their lips. However, they were still troubled. Those words told them not to daydream since they didn’t stand a chance, so the ladies supporting Kaien rushed to speak.

“It’s also a matter of the future of the Empire. I know the Marquis’ reputation well, but Duke Ludenberg leads one of the founding households which helped build the Empire. Have they not been loyal to the Empire and the Imperial Family since ancient times?”

“That’s right. Your Majesty, please, you must form a marriage relationship with someone who will always stand by your side.”

Those who were angry at the previous argument became even angrier.

“What did you just say?”

“Are you saying that the Marquis will betray Her Majesty?”

“Such rudeness!”

Gloria and the other ladies watched how these ladies rose from their seats and folded their fans with a loud sound.

‘It would be nice to have a bigger fight…’

Satisfied, Gloria smiled as the ladies began to spar and compete on their own. There was no way the ladies, who continued quarreling and spat out words like poison, could maintain etiquette. Gloria knew that if things got out of control she couldn’t hide it later.

‘We can slowly stop here.’

“Stop.”

After the Emperor’s intervention, the ladies coughed embarrassedly and hurriedly sat down. When they had calmed to some extent, Gloria spoke with a troubled expression.

“You don’t have to worry too much about the ‘small meeting’ with the Duke.”

“Wh- what do you mean?”

“Is it true that you met the Duke?”

“Oh my- oh my goodness!”

The reaction of both sides were polar opposites. Erun’s side jumped up from their seats with pale faces, and Kaien’s side smiled broadly in delight. Feeling the variety of gazes, Gloria smiled and said,

“For the future of the Empire, I will marry a capable man. National interest takes precedence over personal feelings.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As Gloria pronounced the phrase ‘capable husband’, both sides changed their expressions.

‘Since both men are talented and capable, they will be even more troubled trying to ferret which one will be the one.’ With a triumphant smile on her face, Gloria thought delightedly.

‘Okay, now please go back and spread the word. So that the rumor that started small grows big… That way, I’ll have more power to break my engagement.’

A sharp light shone in Gloria’s beautiful folded blue eyes.

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