Chapter 64

That day came abruptly.

The knights of Reiatou, who had barricaded themselves in the warehouse, could no longer endure the hunger and offered to surrender.

This made it possible for Prince Alexander to ascend the throne, and the day after a mere formality of a selection council, the new emperor declared his accession.

The Reiatou Knights surrendered, Prince Romaris was placed under house arrest, and Empress Myaarl was imprisoned.

Thus, about a month and a half after the death of the former emperor, the turmoil in Ansheize finally subsided.

Emperor Alexander, now crowned, moved to the Imperial Palace, and many courtiers were desperately trying to catch his eye.

The Empress Dowager, who had worked hard for his accession, established a major power base within the court, and it was said that the young emperor was proceeding with solid personnel appointments while listening to his mother's advice.

The entire court was excited by the arrival of a new era, and everyone's hearts were filled with both hope and anxiety for the future.

The noblewomen were busy trying to please the Empress Dowager by being invited to her salon, while the nobles who sought to visit Empress Via, the emperor's only concubine, were almost nonexistent.

Already, behind the scenes, the selection of Emperor Alexander's empress had begun.

To stabilize his power base, the question was whether to choose a minister's daughter as empress or to prioritize national interests by selecting a princess from another country. The views of the core of the government were divided, but one thing was certain: Empress Via would have no role in the matter.

Empress Via began to avoid public appearances, citing poor health, and the Crystal Palace, which had once been bustling with visitors, now stood quietly and desolate.

Amidst this, an unexpected disaster struck the nation.

Empress Dowager, who had been Emperor Alexander's greatest supporter and wielded immense power within the court, died suddenly in an unfortunate riding accident.

It had been only three months since the death of Emperor Palesis.

For the newly established young government, this was a blow almost as devastating as a fatal wound.

The courtiers were thrown into confusion, and the emperor, whose position was already shaky, was forced to manage an even more difficult political situation.

Rumors denigrating the new emperor began to spread in the streets, and the core of the government was busy trying to control public sentiment.

Perhaps troubled by this situation, one day Empress Via secretly summoned Sir Gruuk Morgann, known as the emperor's right-hand man, to the Crystal Palace.

She opened the door wide and had a maid wait in the next room, and for a while, they had a private conversation.

This was the last time Empress Via met with a noble.

The emperor occasionally visited the Crystal Palace, but he never summoned her for the night. Amid the loud calls for the selection of a new empress, the nobles were desperately trying to cut ties with Empress Via.

The maids who served Empress Via also began to leave one by one, like teeth falling out of a comb.

Now, the only ones left by Empress Via's side are Lady Rennal, the head maid, Lady Cisilia Zeon, a distant relative of Lady Rennal, and Lady Rinto and Lady Eimi Laranada.

None of them were of high birth, but they all genuinely admired Empress Via.

Despite the Crystal Palace being almost deserted, Empress Via seemed to spend her days brightly.

She enjoyed the flowers in the garden, the breeze, and the scent of early summer, and smiled gently.

Everyone realized that this comfortable time would eventually come to an end.

Though they knew it, no one spoke of it.

Empress Via, too, could feel the approaching ominous atmosphere, but she never showed a hint of it to those around her.

One day, perhaps to lift the mistress's spirits, Lady Rennal suggested calling a familiar jeweler to Empress Via.

Empress Via was very enthusiastic about the idea and said she wanted to have matching jewelry made for everyone.

They gathered the four maids and Sais in a room with the jeweler and immediately ordered them to design a piece with acacia flowers as the theme: hair accessories for the women and a tie clip for Sais.

"Acacia flowers?" Sais tilted her head.

"They were my mother's favorite. Look, the way the white flowers hang in clusters is very beautiful, and they have a nice scent, too."

"Ah, I see."

Sais recalled that they indeed had a pleasant smell and added, "They have a strong vitality, which is a good thing."

"Acacia grows quickly and can quickly overshadow other trees growing naturally, forming its own forest.

So, it might be considered a nuisance to others."

Indeed, for gardeners, it would be nothing but a nuisance.

"By the way, there were acacia trees in my family's garden," Eimi Laranada interjected, as if recalling a memory.

"In our case, we found them more useful than a nuisance.

Acacia flowers are edible. I remember eating them pickled in sweet and sour sauce or as a fried dish."

Eimi, a poor noble, had a way of thinking somewhat similar to Empress Via.

"Really, those flowers are edible?"

Lady Rinto, surprised, asked, and Empress Via smiled and replied.

"Yes. The flowers themselves have no taste, but my mother told me they are delicious when enjoyed as a seasonal treat."

"I've heard that honey can be made from acacia, but I never knew the flowers were edible."

Impressed, Lady Rennal said, "There are more edible flowers than you might think," and then added hastily, "But be careful, as other parts of the plant are toxic. I've heard the fruit and bark are definitely poisonous, and possibly the leaves as well."

"I've heard that too," Sais nodded. She remembered learning in the knight's corps that horses could be poisoned if they accidentally ate the plant.

While enjoying the conversation, everyone was busy with their hands.

They had to decide on their own design before they could place an order, so they were diligently drawing design sketches on paper.

The maids, who usually chose accessories to match their mistress's outfits, drew their designs without hesitation, but Sais, who was not used to such tasks, drew wiggly lines that made the jeweler frown.

In the end, Sais had to get the jeweler to draw most of the design and add a few of her own wishes to complete it.

Empress Via helped choose the gemstones to be used.

Sais, who had never been particularly interested in gemstones, had never closely examined them before, but when she held a few of the recommended ones and held them up to the light, she was amazed by the expressions they seemed to have.

From diamonds that sparkled in seven colors when reflecting light, to rare black pearls that shone like they were wet, to pale stones that reminded her of a rainbow after the rain.

Even among blue stones, there were subtle differences in color, such as azurite, lapis lazuli, and amethyst. Each mineral created by nature was so mysteriously and beautifully enchanting.

One by one, they decided on the gemstones to be used, listened to their meanings, and laughed together, carefully choosing the ones that suited each other.

They had forgotten that they were in a palace that had been left behind by the world.

The bright laughter of Empress Via and the maids filled the air, and the sky seen from the window was clear and blue.

It was about half a month later that Empress Via was summoned to the emperor's chambers.

A messenger from the Imperial Palace arrived, and the Crystal Palace was filled with joy.

She was the first woman to share the emperor's bed since Emperor Alexander ascended the throne, and the maids looked up at their mistress with pride, thinking that the emperor had not forgotten Empress Via.

The maids carefully cleaned Empress Via's body and accompanied her to the Imperial Palace.

The next morning, they brought a complete set of clothes to the Imperial Palace, helped Empress Via prepare for the night, and escorted her to the breakfast with the emperor.

Sais was the one who came to escort Empress Via back to the Crystal Palace after breakfast.

Sais thought she would rest for a while after returning, but Empress Via said she wanted to go to the Purple Jade Palace immediately, so Sais had to accompany her again.

It seemed that Prince Celtis was returning to the Purple Jade Palace that day and had been granted permission to stay there by the emperor.

"See you later," Empress Via smiled at the maids, and the four maids saw her off with bright faces.

Empress Via's expression as she headed to the Purple Jade Palace was content and calm.

She was as cheerful as always, and in retrospect, she might have been more talkative than usual.

"By the way, Sais, why aren't you married?"

Sais still remembers the moment she was asked this question and was momentarily at a loss for words.

When Sais was approached with a marriage proposal by her brother, she still had feelings for Empress Via and declined the offer.

Sais broke out in a cold sweat, wondering if the proposal had reached Empress Via's ears, but decided to dodge the question with a safe answer.

"I haven't found the right person yet."

"Really? I heard from Lady Rennal that you've had several marriage proposals."

Sais finally realized what Lady Rennal was referring to.

As the head maid, Lady Rennal had many connections, and Sais had been introduced to several noble daughters by her.

According to Lady Rennal, Sais, who was tall and had a somewhat charming face, was quite popular among the palace maids.

Sais, being a member of the Antole Knights and from a family with a long history, had received several marriage proposals.

"I don't really have a strong desire to get married right now..."

Sais replied, and Empress Via looked at her with a slightly excited expression.

"By the way, what kind of woman do you like?"

Sais was caught off guard by the direct question.

If she had been in love at the time, her heart would have been pierced.

"I don't really have a specific type. I just like the women I fall for."

Sais tried to give a non-committal answer, but Empress Via's eyes sparkled even more.

"Then, what was your most recent love like?"

"My most recent... love?"

It was hard to say, "The one right in front of me."

"Well, she was extremely beautiful. She had a lot of grace and a somewhat ethereal quality..."

"Really, Sais, you're more of a visual person, aren't you?"

"Most men are, aren't they?"

"Speaking of which, many people fall in love based on appearance first. What was her personality like?"

"Her personality was completely different from her appearance."

Empress Via seemed to be pondering Sais's words and muttered, "Rough and energetic?"

Sais coughed lightly.

"Well, somewhat. If I had to describe it, I'd say she was more of a tomboy."

After all, she enjoyed strolling through the lower city.

When Sais was asked to exchange the gemstones for cash, she was surprised, but Empress Via, watching from the side, negotiated with a quick wit and got ten times the amount.

"Since you like the women you fall for, I guess you wouldn't be moved by a woman introduced by Lady Rennal."

Sais chuckled at Empress Via's words.

"Maybe not."

Empress Via was silent for a while and then spoke slowly.

"But, you don't have to rush into finding a partner.

You're not very good at such things. You're honest and straightforward, and you wouldn't fit in with a life of superficiality and cunning.

That's why I felt safe entrusting my back to someone like Evbeck."

Until the end, we laughed and talked.

"I'll come to pick you up again."

As Sais said this at the parting, Empress Via smiled.

Now, thinking back, she didn't say, "Yes," and didn't nod.

After a pause, she said, "Thank you," and Sais took it as gratitude for coming to pick her up, but it wasn't.

She knew this was their final farewell and was giving her last words.

She didn't make any dramatic gestures to suggest a parting, and until the end, she maintained a smile.

She didn't let the grief of those left behind affect her, and she sacrificed herself for the country with a striking sense of purity.