#128. The Balance of the Scales
“If God had given all those things, it would have been better. But since Your Majesty thought of Him, and in His stead gave the child what he needed… then perhaps, in his own way, God was able to repay the child’s affection.”
Melchizedek paused, then hurried his words along so they would flow evenly.
His doll-like face, always hard to read, had already regained its composure.
At least, it didn’t look like he was suppressing something.
To Blanche, it almost seemed as if everything inside her had already been settled.
If so, then perhaps it was enough for him to simply stay silent.
But—
Melchizedek slowly opened his mouth, saying what he had long wanted to tell her ever since watching Yuhyeon’s path after Baekryeon’s death.
“Well… at least to my eyes, that child seemed deeply filial to the very end. To use your words—he could be that way only because he had already received ample return from you.”
He knew well that many people lived their lives strangled by unrequited love.
But Yuhyeon’s devotion did not look blind or desperate. He had been loved by Baekryeon, and he knew it.
Even if Cheongneung had not showered him with affection in Baekryeon’s stead after her passing, the account between them had already been settled.
If anything, what Cheongneung gave Yuhyeon was merely an attempt to balance the uneven scales between himself and Baekryeon.
In the end, he had failed to reach her, had let Baekryeon go. With no second chance left, he had tried at least to make the scales level again.
“…Was that so.”
A faint smile appeared on her porcelain-smooth cheek, only to slip away quickly.
Looking at that profile—different from the previous life, and yet eerily the same—Melchizedek felt anew just how precious this moment was.
There had been a time when he thought everything was already over.
A time when he couldn’t even confess his feelings. Compared to that, how blissful was this moment?
Now, Baekryeon lived and breathed right before his eyes.
Now, he could confess his love as much as he wished. Perhaps this time, he might truly succeed in sharing feelings with her.
“Blanche.”
Suppressing the urge to press his lips against her cheek where the smile had faded, Melchizedek instead brushed it lightly with the back of his hand.
Her eyes widened slightly at the unexpected touch.
“Shall we ride a little longer before heading back?”
The fields stretched wide, the sky soared high, and it felt as though the world contained only the two of them.
For one who had endured time without Baekryeon, this moment was unbearably precious and beautiful.
“If that is your wish.”
Blanche gave a short reply, gripping the reins tighter. The breeze felt fresh and cool.
The road back to the capital was difficult—not physically, but emotionally.
He had steeled himself for it, but keeping his feelings in check right at His Majesty’s side was truly difficult.
More than once, he had wanted to say, I will do as you wish.
If only His Majesty had been as forceful as in their past life, it might have been easier to endure.
But unlike before, when he never cared for her opinion, this time His Majesty never crossed the lines she had drawn.
If she said she did not want something, he never did it.
And watching him like that made her wonder—what had changed him so much?
If it was her death that caused it, then she felt guilty all over again.
Perhaps, if not for his ambition to truly build a second empire, he might have broken down.
“What’s the rush? If the kingdom pressures you, I’ll intervene. Will you come with me?”
Spoken like that, she could not even urge him to hurry. And so it took them twice the normal time to finally reach the capital.
“Blanche!”
The first to greet her upon arrival at the imperial palace was Liana.
Even after so long, she looked exactly as she had in her last memory, untouched by the passage of time.
“It has been too long.”
Blanche smiled sincerely as she accepted Liana’s embrace.
While they enjoyed their reunion, another voice came from behind Liana.
“Well, well. They say if you want to bring down a general, you shoot his horse first. Looks like to see your sister’s face, I had to summon a princess.”
It was the Emperor’s voice, coming down the central staircase.
…Of course, he must have come to see His Majesty. Blanche turned her head slightly to avoid accidentally meeting his gaze.
Her conversations with the Emperor had been few, and private audiences even fewer.
But she knew well enough—this emperor was no easy man.
He was clever, ruthless, and above all, he held no fondness for her.
For now, it seemed he was leaving her to His Majesty’s discretion. But if he ever judged it necessary to tie her down to His Majesty by force, she would have no means of resisting.
He was, in every way, someone she did not wish to draw attention from.
“Oh? You make it sound like I came here just for Blanche.”
“Didn’t you?”
“I was already thinking of dropping by since you kept saying you missed me so much. But when I heard Blanche would be coming, I just came along.”
“You’re good with words.”
Their exchange was casual and familiar, more like that of ordinary brothers than imperial royalty.
“So, Princess Blanche. I hear you intend to stay at the Academy. Is that true?”
She had been thinking about their brotherly bond in the past life when suddenly the arrow turned toward her.
“…Of course, I know it can only be possible with Your Imperial Majesty’s permission.”
Yes. It was better like this—conversing openly in front of both Liana and His Majesty.
Half-hiding behind Liana, she answered quietly.
Fortunately, the Emperor seemed disinclined to press her further and soon turned his head.
“Melchi, what do you think?”
“Let Blanche do as she wishes.”
His Majesty’s crisp reply made the Emperor shrug.
“If Melchi doesn’t oppose it, I’ve no reason to either. Tell me what papers you need, I’ll see to them.”
Yes, she thought. Better to remain behind His Majesty than to deal with the Emperor directly.
As she held her tongue, Liana’s bright voice wrapped up the conversation.
“You must be tired from the journey. Go wash up and rest first. We’ll talk again tomorrow.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
If the Emperor held her there, she’d have no choice but to be caught. So she quickly accepted Liana’s consideration and withdrew.
His Majesty returned to his usual residence, the Starlight Palace, while Blanche went back to Jasper Palace, where she had lived before.
The palace had been managed by the Empress Dowager, and the laboratory inside had been kept running. There was no sign of abandonment at all.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Tula, who had arrived at Jasper Palace before her, came to greet her. Blanche quietly studied her expression.
“It wasn’t too hard?”
“I managed.”
Which, of course, meant there had been difficulties.
Not knowing who might be listening, Blanche only patted Tula’s shoulder lightly.
They spoke more openly once they were enclosed in a private room.
“So. How is the kingdom holding up?”
“As Your Highness intended, the useless ones are all tearing each other apart, each backing their own candidate for the throne.”
“Good. That must have been costly. By the time I seize power, they’ll have no strength left to resist.”
“As you instructed, I reached out to the ones with promise, warning them not to get involved in the disputes but to watch and wait.”
“Exactly. If they can’t even do that, then I have no need for them.”
She hoped that, upon her return, a change of regime would take place immediately.
For that, the noble factions had to be sorted out beforehand. Naturally, she couldn’t handle such matters from outside the kingdom.
So, through Count Griff, she had secured Tula a title, entrusting her with the task.
Though Tula had been born a commoner and held only the rank of viscountess, Blanche herself—who carried immense weight in the Empire—stood behind her.
Naturally, those with some sense, or who were shameless opportunists, had no choice but to treat Tula favorably.
Thus, Tula easily gained access to high society and spent four years analyzing it, fueling factional disputes.
Inside the palace, Langrisha stirred things up. Outside, in society, Tula did.
Pushed from both sides, the chaff was swept away with ease.
And what remained—the true grain—was exactly what Blanche had aimed for.
“You’ve done well. You’ve worked hard all this time, so while we’re in the Empire, think of it as a vacation and get some rest.”
For Blanche, this was a grave she had dug herself. But for Tula, there had been no need to live so fiercely.
And yet, for four years, she had carried out the task without a single complaint.
Knowing how grueling that was, Blanche could not help but feel even more tender affection toward her.
