Lucy, who was fidgeting with her lips in frustration, reluctantly nodded her head.
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
“And having a debt with someone who has such great power is also a good thing for the future. After all, they won’t be coming to repay the favor to me,” Ibi said, checking the calendar.
“Very soon…” she murmured.
“What?”
“It’s nothing,” Ibi quickly smiled and shook her head. If her memory was right, today, the emperor would offer to take her on a trip to the summer palace as a birthday gift.
“And… that’s when Frederik will face his fateful love.”
As Ibi left the dressing room, she went deep into her thoughts. Recalling past memories wasn’t pleasant, but it was necessary for her.
Priscilla Molina Schultz. She was a lovely lady with tanned skin and golden eyes, born into a fallen royal family, and would soon become the true Empress of Silderon. From Ibi’s past lives, Frederik had fallen in love with Priscilla many times.
Priscilla, raised in the countryside, was rough and simple, unlike other noble ladies, which caught Frederik’s attention. She was Frederik’s one and only wife and had become his lover, eventually leading to a deadly political struggle.
‘But I won’t go down that easily. Unfortunately, he won’t get his way.’
With a tight smile, Ibi continued walking.
“Your Highness, the Crown Princess!”
A loud voice from the guards announced Ibi’s arrival as she headed toward the emperor’s office, the central room of the palace.
“Oh, Ibi.” Frederik, who had been going through a pile of documents, greeted her with a warm smile. Ibi knelt on one knee to show respect.
“I was thinking of greeting you, but maybe I should leave. You seem busy, and I don’t want to disturb you.”
“No, no, you’re not disturbing me at all. In fact, there’s something I need to tell you,” Frederik said with his usual charming smile.
He gestured for her to sit, then got up and made tea for her himself.
Having done this many times before, Ibi wasn’t surprised. She accepted the tea and returned his faint smile.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“The tea leaves from the snowy mountains are quite famous. We only get a small amount as tribute, but I wanted to share it with you,” Frederik said with a smile, as he prepared the tea for her.
Frederik, who had never had his coronation as emperor, was planning to turn to Priscilla, a noblewoman, instead of Ibi. Ibi stared at Frederik, the man who would betray her and cause her endless pain.
“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s embarrassing,” Frederik chuckled, feeling shy, and rubbed his neck.
“I was just thinking, Your Majesty, your eyes are truly beautiful.”
Ibi quietly continued, “They resemble the sea of the northern shores.”
Frederik, dressed in his white imperial robes, with his golden blonde hair and ocean-like eyes, chuckled and shook his head.
“That’s not something I expect to hear from you.”
“I’ve always thought you were beautiful, Your Majesty.”
“It’s a bit awkward, but I’ll gladly accept your praise.”
Frederik patted her small, round shoulder lightly and went back to his desk. He moved aside the piles of documents and pulled something out from a drawer. Then he turned it toward Ibi, so she could see it.
“I’ve prepared something for you.”
With a soft smile, Frederik looked at Ibi as she stared at the item in his hands.
Ibi’s first life had been spent happily accepting the trip to the summer palace for her birthday. She thought it was a sign that Frederik truly saw her as his wife.
“However, you were there, in the summer palace, celebrating my birthday, while you fell in love with Priscilla.”
It wasn’t easy for her to hide the bitterness in her smile as she thought of the past.
“Why are you smiling like that?” Frederik asked, confused, as he expected Ibi to be overjoyed.
Ibi shook her head and responded softly.
“It’s just that it’s been so long since I visited the summer palace… It brings back memories. I realize how much time has passed.”
“Yes, quite a lot of time has passed.”
Frederik had promised to marry Ibi before he even became the crown prince. They spent their childhood in the summer palace, making it a place full of personal memories.
But in that very special place, Frederik chose another woman instead of Ibi.
During her repeated lives, Ibi learned that Frederik had no guilt over his actions. After all, as the emperor of a vast empire, it was natural for him to have multiple wives. He even scolded Ibi, saying she was selfish for not understanding the instincts of a man.
“I’m happy to spend time at the summer palace again. Thank you so much, Your Majesty.”
Ibi stood up and gently lifted the hem of her dress, curtsying as she did.
“But there’s one thing I am curious about…”
“What is it? Tell me.”
Frederik looked at Ibi kindly as she asked, “The Empress’s coronation is supposed to happen in five days, right?”
“…Oh, this is…” Frederik looked embarrassed, as though he had forgotten.
“I know you’ve been busy, Your Majesty. I’m not bothered by it,” Ibi continued, her tone calm and composed.
“How about we delay the coronation after our trip to the summer palace?”
She had been through the disappointment of having the coronation postponed multiple times, but this time, she felt no emotional disturbance.
Ibi continued, “I’m happy to celebrate my birthday at the summer palace, so please don’t worry about me, Your Majesty.”
Frederik, unaware of the events to come, smiled gently and nodded, clearly pleased.
“Your happiness is my happiness.”
If Frederik truly cared about Ibi’s happiness, he should have been focused on getting the Empress’s coronation done, rather than delaying it again.
Ibi realized that love was gone, and it was just a dream she had created. It was a painful realization, but now she no longer felt the sting of it.
Ibi was determined not to be swayed by love or old feelings. She had already suffered too much, and now, her focus was on the one thing that mattered most to her: revenge.
“I’ll go meet the nobles. It’s important to invite those who will attend the banquet at the summer palace.”
“You may go.”
Frederik raised his hand as Ibi prepared to leave, stopping her.
“Ibi, happy birthday again.”
Once, Frederik had been the man she truly loved. She had loved him passionately and had hated him just as fiercely.
But that man, smiling with his beautiful face, couldn’t stop her now.
As Ibi left the office, she headed towards the Empress Palace and turned to Lucy.
“I left something in my bedroom. Go check and see if it’s there.”
Lucy, who had been by Ibi’s side for ten years, understood immediately. She knew that her mistress was worried about the well-being of a man who had been hidden away in the bedroom.
Lucy couldn’t understand why the noble and high-born Crown Princess Ibi would care for a rogue like that. But she was loyal and had learned to follow her orders.
