Chapter 32

Golden eyes flashed from beneath the hood's shadow. Adel smiled and looked alternately at the brothers seated before her.

"Please forgive the rudeness of occupying the carriage without permission."

She then pulled off the hood that had been concealing her face and greeted them.

"Nice to meet you, Count Valdr."

The Empress's demeanor was calm and composed, but the aura she exuded was like a finely honed sword. Theseus replied respectfully.

"It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty."

Although Theseus commented that she was calm and composed, Adel was actually quite perplexed. Of course, she did not show it outwardly, but her feelings were clear. Adel needed Theseus's permission as the owner of the carriage to fulfill her request to Lionel. Therefore, she had packed her bags in advance and was waiting for Lionel's confirmation that Count Valdr had given his approval. However, after a verbal sparring match with the Emperor at the Empress's palace, she impulsively left the palace without even grabbing her bags.

"In fact, I was waiting for your permission. Although it wasn't right to occupy the carriage first, that's how it was."

Adel smiled warmly and looked at the brothers alternately.

"Would it be alright if I stay for about three or four days?"

Theseus answered without hesitation.

"It is an honor."

The brothers' straightforwardness pleased the Empress, who smiled contentedly. Lionel looked at the Empress sitting opposite him. Despite his efforts to ignore her, it was not easy to overlook her presence in the small carriage. Theseus seemed to be doing the same, subtly observing the Empress sitting opposite him. Where did she get that light black sportswear and perfectly fitting boots? She was dressed perfectly for an incognito trip. The Empress sat close to the carriage wall, constantly looking outside. Her golden eyes moved incessantly, never resting. After a while, she suddenly asked,

"Is this the typical living standard of the capital's commoners?"

Well-maintained roads, clean shops lined up, people buying and selling goods, children running around, neatly dressed in matching outfits, houses that were not large or luxurious but well-maintained and decorated with flowers, no litter on the streets, and no beggars. Adel was observing all of this.

"What do you think?"

In response to Theseus's question, Adel turned her head to look at him. Theseus removed his glasses and asked again,

"May I ask what you are observing?"

After staring at him for a moment, Adel turned back to look outside. The world was passing by quickly.

"Their clothing is neat and well-matched. I can't see the inside of their homes, but the exteriors are clean and well-decorated. It seems they can lead a decent human life. This level of living is more like the middle class, not just commoners. It would be a stretch to call it average."

"..."

"How about it? In Gotrop, this would be considered well-off. What about Echmont?"

"Do you often go on incognito trips?"

The carriage was quickly entering the forested area. The autumn sun was cut off by the tall trees, and the interior of the carriage became as dark as night. In the darkness, the Empress exuded a completely different aura from when she was in the sunlight.

"It was the minimum a human could do for another human. It probably didn't help him much."

This answer made the Emperor angry.

"Did you conduct rescue operations when you were in Gotrop?"

Lionel was certain she would have. The Empress must have been the most active in destroying the towers. The movements she made while destroying the towers were something only a skilled person could imitate. His guess was right, as the Empress slowly nodded. However, the next words she spoke were something neither of the Valdr brothers had expected.

"I was the founder and overall commander of the Gotrop Tower Resistance Headquarters."

After saying this, it felt as if something had struck her sternum hard.

"Until six months ago, that was the case."

She ran with all her might across the rugged hills of Gotrop, heading towards where the tower was descending. She had to destroy it before it touched the ground and the hands that would trample the people of this land poured out. Her comrades were still running there. The Empress's eyes changed in an instant. The calm and composed golden eyes were now mixed with intense indignation. Adel felt both pain and happiness as she crossed the rugged hills of Gotrop. Despite the feeling of her body breaking down, the sight of the descending tower made her heart race. The grateful welcome of the saved residents, the garlands offered by the children. Closing her eyes, she could see the vivid...

As the carriage quickly left the forested area, light poured in as if she had just opened her eyes.

"Rescue the last person, and do not abandon your conscience and courtesy towards humans."

This was the principle Adelaide proclaimed when she founded the Tower Resistance Headquarters, defying her mother's opposition. It was Adel's belief and the purpose of founding the Tower Resistance Headquarters.

"Do not abandon your conscience and courtesy towards humans."

In fact, it was also a challenge to her mother.

"Is that an answer?"

Lionel and Theseus looked at Adel, forgetting to breathe. She looked like a sword born from rough mountains and red lava.

* * *

Eventually, the three arrived at the manor. Thanks to the wise driver, who brought the carriage to the back gate of the manor despite not being informed, Adel was able to enter the manor discreetly.

"Thank you. If there's a chance, I'd like to ride in your carriage again."

Adel was originally someone who did not spare flattery.

"You can ride in this carriage when you return as well."

"Oh, that's good. Then I'll ask for your help again when I return."

The driver bowed, trying not to tremble.

"It is an honor!"

Adel smiled happily and turned around. Indeed, the manor was grand and magnificent, befitting a founding family of Echmont. Though it was built long ago and bore the marks of time, it did not feel old at all.

"The manor is very impressive."

"Thank you for the compliment."

"It's genuine."

Theseus led the way with a respectful attitude, and Adel and Lionel followed side by side behind him. Adel suddenly spoke to Lionel as they walked.

"Lionel."

Surprised by the overly intimate address, Theseus turned to look at the Empress, but the person called simply looked at her naturally.

"Does the manor have many books?"

"Many. There were quite a few people who collected books as a hobby."

Neither of them cared about the surprised duke. Their conversation while walking seemed very natural, making Theseus stop and blink.

"Oh, then there must be a library?"

"Would you like to see the library?"

"There is a library in the palace, but I couldn't visit it due to the circumstances. Can you recommend some books?"

"If you tell me what you're interested in, I'll recommend books to the best of my knowledge."

"Ah, I need to get the library owner's permission."

Adel stopped walking and looked for the host. Only after noticing Theseus standing a few steps behind did she realize the duke had just found out she was using informal language with Lionel. She felt like a rascal who had just done something bad to someone else's precious child. No, it wouldn't be right to say, 'Lionel and I are pretending to be lovers, so it's too much to suddenly become lovers with a stranger, and to make it look that way to others, we decided to use informal language.' It was awkward...

"Um... Let's use informal language with the duke."

What? Lionel clenched his jaw tightly and bit his lip, while Theseus furrowed his brow.

'Let's use informal language with the duke.'

She had meant to say, 'Let's see the library!' but her thoughts got jumbled, and this came out. Shame washed over her. She could feel the heat rising to her ears and her jaw tightening. When had she ever made such a blunder? Standing there with her mouth closed and blinking, the Empress looked her age. Theseus immediately realized that the Empress was not using informal language to belittle the duke. He changed the subject for her.

"The library is on the second floor of the annex. You can use it freely during your stay. Lionel, please show her around."

Adel nodded awkwardly and looked at Lionel.

"I'll show you around."

As Lionel walked, the Empress quickly followed. Matching her pace, Lionel glanced at her. Where was the confident woman who declared she would lower her tone in the Empress's palace? Her round earlobes, visible through her black hair, were red.

* * *

Meanwhile, a few hours earlier at the Ivory Palace. When the Emperor went to find the Empress, Lady Giggs was at the Ivory Palace, not the Empress's palace, to deliver the Empress's order. Three years ago, Dian had personally ordered Lady Giggs to leave the palace, and now, three years later, she was receiving an order to leave from Lady Giggs.

"Please decide as soon as possible whether you will remain as a guest in the palace or return to your family, and inform us."

The elderly lady with silver-white hair elegantly folded the order and placed it in front of Dian, then took a step back. The graceful movements of the lady, a model of nobility, left the maids waiting beside Dian in awe. Sitting at her desk in her office, Dian burst out laughing at the absurd order. Her laughter echoed, but the elderly lady's face did not waver. After laughing for a while, Dian unfolded the order to confirm it with her own eyes. The Empress's seal at the bottom was as red as blood.

"Are you telling me to leave the Ivory Palace?"

"I didn't say to leave without reason."

"The one who allowed me to live in the Ivory Palace is His Majesty the Emperor. How dare you revoke His Majesty's order without his permission?"

The calm look in Lady Giggs's eyes, which had been watching Dian, suddenly turned sharp.

"How dare you! It is an order from Her Majesty the Empress! You must show respect at all times and places!"

That Empress, Empress, Empress!!!

"I will not leave the Ivory Palace unless ordered by His Majesty!"

Lady Giggs raised her eyes and responded in a businesslike manner.

"Are you saying you will rent the entire Ivory Palace? We will calculate the daily rental fee and send the bill to the Poitiers family. The rental fee must be paid to the palace finance office by the end of each month."

"What?!"

"As I mentioned earlier, the approval for living in the palace is under the authority of Her Majesty the Empress, as stated in the palace law. This means that Her Majesty has the right to revoke and reissue the Emperor's order without his consent. Therefore, if you wish to stay in the Ivory Palace, you must petition Her Majesty, not His Majesty."

What? Dian's face turned pale, but Lady Giggs continued in a businesslike tone.

"Her Majesty has generously given you time to pack. We will start calculating the usage fee from the first day of next month, so please be aware. Also, the maids of the Ivory Palace will soon be reassigned to other places."

"What do you mean?!"

"The personnel authority of the palace also belongs to Her Majesty the Empress."

"What?!"

Don't you understand? That petty favor is useless in the face of legitimate authority. Lady Giggs turned around with an unwavering posture. Dian shivered as if all the blood in her body had drained to her feet. She walked unsteadily around the desk, roughly turned Lady Giggs around, and grabbed her arms tightly.

"Tell the Empress that she cannot treat me like this. If she treats me like this, she will surely regret it. Do you think the Emperor will let me leave the Ivory Palace? No! He can't do that. Do you think he will let me be trampled by the Empress? You know better than anyone. Don't you?"

Her pale blue eyes were bloodshot. The round eyes had become sharp. The time spent in the palace was like a sharp blade, sharpening everyone. Lady Giggs slowly raised her hand and gently brushed Dian's eyes. However, her words were as sharp as a razor.

"You have wrinkles."