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Chapter 18: <Chapter 18>

I smiled as I finished my tea. I then asked the dowager empress, “How is your health, Your Highness? I should have asked you earlier.”

“Fine.”

The dowager empress patted her huge stomach. I guessed that she must be at least six to seven months pregnant. She was almost due.

If the baby was a boy, it would be dangerous for the emperor. If I took care of the baby and the dowager empress, I was sure the emperor would let me go and even help me.

The dowager empress patted her stomach again and continued, “The baby is also very healthy. I just hope my son resembles the former emperor.”

Hmm. That ugly fat former emperor? Really?

The women around her started to agree excessively. “Of course he will be.”

“It will be a prince for sure.”

“If the former emperor was still alive, he would have loved this baby boy as the only true legitimate heir...”

So there still was a doubt that Lucretius was not fathered by the former emperor. Lucretius’ mother, the original empress, was executed under the suspicion of adultery. The Katleyanira orchestrated the whole plot.

I looked straight into her burgundy eyes.

I smiled politely and said to her, “After what happened to the former emperor... Especially in your condition... I was very worried, but now that I saw you in person, I feel relieved, Your Highness.”

“About what?”

I smiled even more brightly, which seemed to discomfort the dowager empress.

I continued, “You look like you’re glowing, especially since you are so well dressed. I am relieved to see you looking so happy despite the sad event. Since you’re doing well, I’m sure the baby is healthy too.”

The room became quiet with tension again. I guess everyone was able to read between the lines.

Well, I was only stating the facts.

The dowager empress looked amazing considering her own husband died only two days ago. Bright clothes and full makeup. She really was glowing.

I accepted the second cup of tea from Samantha.

The tea tasted so sweet.

I used to not enjoy black tea when I was living in Korea. I liked the aroma, but it tasted like warm perfume to me. However, at this moment, nothing could be sweeter than this fresh, sweet tea.

My comment must have been shocking. Everyone in the room barely breathed. They kept glancing at the dowager empress nervously.

The silence lasted longer this time. I expected my remark to sting a little, but I hadn’t realized it was such a big deal. I became confused.

Suddenly, big tears started to stream down the dowager empress’s eyes.

...I clearly underestimated her.

The ladies and the maids exclaimed, “Dowager empress!”

“Oh my! Your Highness!”

“Please don’t cry!”

I froze in shock.

One maid quickly brought the dowager empress a beautiful sheer handkerchief.

The dowager empress wiped her tears with it and murmured sadly, “My love... Your Highness... I should have followed you... I should have died with you... I am so selfish...” It was such a loud murmur everyone could hear it clearly.

Everyone cried out at her to stop blaming herself.

I couldn’t stand the situation. Knowing what I knew about her, I expected her to fight back with fury. This was the exact opposite of what I was waiting for.

The ladies tried to console her.

“Your Highness, please think about your baby!”

Suddenly, Marchioness Toruka turned towards me with a deathly glare.

Her voice was sharp like broken pieces of glass. She used her words to fight this battle.

“Your Highness! How could you say something so cruel! Her Highness, the dowager empress, hasn’t been sleeping well for the last few days since the former emperor passed away! We begged her to rest today, but she insisted on entertaining you on this special occasion...! And that is the only reason why she dressed up. For you! How could you, someone who was going to marry the former emperor herself, be so harsh?”

Everyone glared at me.

How did this happen? How did I suddenly become the villain?

The ladies started to murmur among themselves quietly. I was now the evil woman who ill-treated the poor pregnant lady who recently lost her husband.

I wanted to scream at them. She started it!

This was unfair, but I knew what I had to do. I gritted my teeth and stood up.

I approached the dowager empress. I took out my handkerchief from my sleeve to wipe her tears and squeezed her hands.

The dowager empress looked at me as if she ate a bug.

I forced myself to cry. I bit my tongue hoping the pain would help. It wasn’t as hard as I expected because I was so frustrated by this situation.

I started to come up with an excuse. I needed to publicly announce that I didn’t mean to be cruel. It didn’t matter if it was true or if people believed me. This was the story, and I was going with it.

“Oh my! I can’t believe you misunderstood me! I just meant that I was so worried about you! I was worried your grief may affect your health. I can’t believe my thoughtless words hurt you, Your Highness! How could I ever make it up to you?”

I should have won the academy award for the best actress.

I hated myself for acting sad and begging for her forgiveness, but I did it so well. I thought it was a very convincing act.

Technically, what I said could be interpreted in a genuine way too.

The dowager empress suddenly stopped crying and smiled.

This woman was definitely one to fear.

“Oh my, I think I have acted too emotionally. It’s probably because I’m pregnant. I overreacted.”

The dowager empress suddenly turned into a textbook benevolent mother-in-law. She was an even better actress than I was. I knew better though. I smiled while my back became wet with my own sweat.

The dowager empress hugged me with a smile.

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

When I remained rigid in shock, the empress whispered in my ear quietly.

“What a brave child you are. I will let you play for a while, but not for long.”

“...T, thank you.”

I said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

I was frightened. It felt like my spine was being scratched by a sharp talon.

She was a monster. This wouldn’t be easy.

I knew my life here would be dangerous. For now, I had to finish what I started. I hugged her back and continued to chat with her for a while longer.

When I finally left the room, my hands were cold and clammy.

Katleyanira’s warning would haunt me for a long time.