Chapter 64

On the other hand, Mrs. Gix, who was just about to go to bed, got up again at the urgent call. The person who came to find her was none other than the emperor's valet. The moment Mrs. Gix saw his face, she knew what the matter was.

"Has a maid disappeared?"

The valet nodded, breathing heavily.

"I confirmed that she entered the Ivory Palace and seemed to be heading underground."

Dian Poitiers, who had guarded the emperor with a weapon, was not unknown to the nobles. When the empress ascended the throne and Dian could no longer manage the palace staff, the nobles began to send in fair-haired, blue-eyed women as maids to the emperor's palace. Whenever a fair-haired, blue-eyed maid caught Dian's eye, Mrs. Gix would give a large sum of money to the emperor's valet to secretly send the maid out of the palace. The nobles, blinded by greed, would continue to send in such maids. Human nerves gradually become more sensitive, and she did not want Dian to suffer. Dian, who was considered outdated, intentionally ignored Mrs. Gix, but Mrs. Gix was a seasoned survivor of the palace's sharp edges. With her experience, Mrs. Gix had anticipated that such a day would come. The emperor's feelings for his birth mother, Lady Beatrice, were not love but mere pity, and pity cools faster than heated iron. Mrs. Gix, with her piercing eyes, changed into her clothes. She tied her hair up neatly and straightened her back before heading to the emperor's palace. ＊ ＊ ＊

Carl met Mrs. Gix, who came to see him late at night, with a puzzled look. Although it was late, she appeared as usual, but he could sense that the matter was serious.

"What is it at this hour?"

Mrs. Gix took a deep breath and looked straight at the emperor. She carefully controlled her voice to avoid any bias and began to speak.

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you save a poor maid. Only Your Majesty can save her, which is why I have come at this late hour, risking rudeness."

At her words, Carl's brows furrowed.

"Explain clearly what you mean."

"One of the emperor's dedicated maids has disappeared. There are witnesses who saw her being taken to the Ivory Palace, and I believe she is now trapped underground."

"…The Ivory Palace? Why would an emperor's maid go there? Has she done something wrong?"

"Even if she has done something wrong, she should be punished according to palace law, Your Majesty."

Her stern voice changed Carl's expression. Mrs. Gix bowed respectfully.

"Please allow me to investigate the Ivory Palace."

"…"

The emperor remained silent. After a while, Mrs. Gix raised her gaze to look at him. In that moment, she keenly sensed the emperor's emotions. How shallow the word 'pity' is. Does it take a great reason to pretend not to notice someone you once pitied? Just because of a lack of interest, a more interesting thing appearing, annoyance, or boredom. The reasons for pity to fade are countless and light, and only those with a strong heart can continue to care for the pitiful. However, the emperor is not one of them. Perhaps he is now looking for an excuse to discard the now cumbersome pity. The fact that he did not immediately dismiss her, despite her hatred and resentment, and is listening to her reasons, might be due to this.

"Is it certain that Dian took the emperor's maid and locked her in the underground of the Ivory Palace?"

"It is my guess."

"If you came to me directly, it must be more than a guess. If nothing is found when I search the underground of the Ivory Palace, can you take responsibility?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will."

The emperor, who had been quietly observing Mrs. Gix, stood up and put on his coat. He then passed by her and ordered,

"Lead the way."

＊ ＊ ＊

Every time Dian swung her hand, the maid's head swayed from side to side. Her lips were bleeding from the harsh blows.

"I'll hide without being noticed… Please save me… Huh-huh."

The maid pleaded through her tears, but Dian was merciless. Dian, seemingly in a trance, poured out all her pent-up frustration on the maid. Her eyes, bloodshot and wild, showed a hint of madness as she beat the maid. Lorraine and a few other direct maids, waiting on the side, clenched their trembling jaws and bowed their heads to avoid looking at the scene. Dian, who had vented her frustration, suddenly grabbed the maid's collar and growled.

"Did you spend the night with His Majesty?"

"…What?"

"I know you came here deliberately to get close to His Majesty. Answer me, did you spend the night with His Majesty?!"

"No, no, no!"

Dian's words were half true and half false. The maid had come to get close to the emperor, but she had not yet succeeded. The maid's eyes widened, and her loose hair swayed. Dian, glaring at the lustrous golden hair, ordered Lorraine.

"Bring me scissors. We need to cut this hair off."

With a sickening sound, the lustrous golden hair was cut in clumps. The maid, screaming in terror, stared blankly at the hair that had fallen to the floor. Moments ago, it had been attached to her body, but now it lay scattered on the red carpet.

"This is just hair now, but next time it could be your neck."

Fear choked her, preventing even a scream. Just as Dian, with fierce eyes, raised the scissors again, someone on watch outside rushed in and whispered urgently in her ear.

"Lady! The emperor is coming here now!"

Dian's face turned pale at the words.

'How?'

Her body felt as if all the blood had drained from it, and her heart pounded so hard that her whole body trembled. But Dian quickly regained her composure. The reason for the emperor's sudden appearance could be considered later.

"Turn off the lights! Lorraine!"

As soon as the order was given, everyone in the room moved quickly. They had to consider any possible variables when bringing the emperor's maid here. This place in the underground of the Ivory Palace was a special bedroom that Dian, who suffered from insomnia, had created for naps. She sometimes slept here until the morning if she stayed up late at night. So, there was a way to explain it. Lorraine quickly untied the maid from the chair and took her to the next room, not forgetting to gag her mouth in case she screamed. The sound of footsteps on the stairs echoed precariously. Those who were picking up the hair from the floor quickly disappeared into the next room, and Dian quickly lay down on the bed and pulled the covers over herself. The direct maid who remained in the room could be heard taking deep breaths. The sound of footsteps on the stairs was heard, and Dian's nerves were on edge. She noticed that two people were coming down the stairs. Dian squinted and looked at the stairs. A small lamp hanging on the stairs swayed, and someone appeared. Soon, a smaller figure followed. Dian recognized the silhouettes as the emperor and Mrs. Gix. She clenched her teeth.

'Hannah Gix, this cunning snake!'

＊ ＊ ＊

As the emperor stepped into the underground bedroom, the waiting maid quickly stood up and greeted him. She took a step back, drawing a sharp breath, when she saw Mrs. Gix behind the emperor. The emperor scanned the dark room with a sharp gaze.

"Is Dian asleep?"

"Yes."

"I heard a scream. Do you know where it came from?"

"Excuse me, I didn't hear it."

"Is that so?"

"…Yes, Your Majesty."

"Bring a lamp."

The maid, trying to steady her trembling breath, quickly lit a lamp and brought it over. Dian, lying on the bed, did not move. Carl, holding the lamp, slowly walked towards the bed. At that moment, something on the floor caught his eye. He stopped and looked down. On the red carpet, long strands of hair were scattered. Carl bent down and picked them up. Upon closer inspection, they were human hair, cut off by something. His gaze turned to Dian, lying on the bed. He pushed the maid aside and walked to the bed, looking down at Dian.

"Dian."

"…"

"Dian, wake up."

Dian, who had been lying still with her eyes closed, slowly opened them, as if just waking up. When she looked at the emperor, she stiffened. The emperor stood over her like a giant, his face illuminated by the lamp, looking both mesmerizing and terrifying. He seemed like a harbinger of death.

"Your Majesty."

Dian sat up, startled. She blinked, her expression blank.

"What are you doing here at this hour… Mrs. Gix?"

Dian intended to stall. By now, Lorraine must have taken the maid out of the Ivory Palace. At that moment, the emperor brought his hand to her ear. Dian, not knowing what he was doing, almost screamed. The emperor was comparing a handful of Dian's hair in his left hand with a few strands in his right. The hair in his right hand was straight, unlike Dian's curly hair. Carl slowly turned his gaze to meet Dian's eyes.

"A maid from the emperor's palace has disappeared. Do you know where she is?"

His voice was so cold and stern that Dian's jaw trembled as she barely managed to answer.

"I've been asleep the whole time… Why are you asking me this…"

"Is that so?"

Tears streamed down Dian's face.

"By the way, why aren't you in your nightgown? Didn't you hear the screams?"

"…"

"Moreover, this long golden hair doesn't seem to be yours."

Under the emperor's questioning, Dian quickly got out of bed and clung to his arm.

"Your Majesty, what are you thinking! Why are you doing this to me!"

Carl, looking at Dian, turned his gaze to the door Lorraine had just left through. Dian's heart raced. She clung to the emperor's arm more desperately, pleading.

"Your Majesty, I was asleep. Please believe me, Your Majesty!"

After a moment of silence, Carl slowly but firmly pushed Dian's hand off his arm.

"Dian Poitiers."

"…"

"I previously said I would revoke all the authority I gave you. I knew you were still exercising that authority in secret."

"…Your Majesty…"

"I will no longer tolerate it."

Carl dropped the hair he was holding, along with his emotions. He had held onto it because he lacked a justifiable reason. It was bothersome to discard it without a plausible reason, as it came with a sense of guilt. Looking into Dian's large, shocked eyes, the emperor finally shed all the guilt he had been carrying. He had once given Dian power almost equal to that of the empress. But he was now convinced that only Adelaide could guard his side. The emperor's cold, decisive turn was so merciless that Dian could not even think of stopping him. Mrs. Gix, who had been quietly standing aside, also turned to follow the emperor after a moment of silence. She had seen enough of the empress, whom she served, suffering because of a favored woman. Mrs. Gix's eyes glowed coldly. At dawn, the maid with cut hair was found outside the palace. Mrs. Gix met her personally, but the maid, terrified, could not speak.

"What should we do?"

In response to the valet's question, Mrs. Gix stood up and calmly replied.

"Don't ask more questions. Give her a generous severance package and send her away. The person who did this to her has already paid the price and will continue to do so in the future."