Chapter 36. To Escape
It felt like an eternity passed before the third Shadow Knight finally answered.
“…We couldn’t find it.”
“…I see.”
Rasilia bit her lip to stop herself from sighing in relief.
“Let me ask one more thing. Was it His Majesty’s order?”
“He didn’t give a direct order, but he gave his permission.”
She could guess what had happened. Decan must have offered to verify the spell, and Rescal hadn’t opposed it.
In any case, that wasn’t much different from an order.
It meant the Emperor also wanted to know why the Empress had used a sorcerer.
“Then I can’t punish you just because I got wet. I’ll consider it as if it never happened.”
“…Pardon?”
Decan flinched.
Rasilia turned around without another word.
“Let’s go back.”
“Ah—yes. Yes, Your Majesty.”
Yvette, still dazed, hurried after Rasilia.
“Your Majesty, are you all right?”
“…No.”
She wasn’t. She couldn’t possibly be.
Her body began to tremble.
“I feel cold… I think I might catch a cold.”
“The water must’ve been too cold. Oh no.”
Yvette fretted, stomping her feet.
“I can’t even take off my clothes here… Well, I will if you command it!”
Her sincerity made Rasilia chuckle.
“It’s all right. I appreciate the thought.”
“I really mean it, though…”
“I know. But we should walk faster.”
“Oh, really… That knight! Why did he fail the spell… If Her Majesty gets sick, I’ll resent that knight forever. Sir Sigres too!”
Yvette didn’t stop worrying until they arrived at the Empress’s palace.
“Ha, how did this even happen?”
Serven shook his head and sheathed his sword.
“I still can’t believe it. Decan Horsed made a mistake with a spell? Did you eat something bad? Or was it really a mistake? Did you have something against the Empress?”
Even as he spoke, Serven rubbed his chin, realizing something felt off.
“No, wait… You’ve hardly ever met Her Majesty. What would you hold against her? No seriously, why are you acting like Lian?”
“I know… It’s hard to believe myself.”
Decan clenched and unclenched his fists, looking puzzled.
“It was a spell that couldn’t fail. It wasn’t even complicated or difficult. It was a very basic spell to detect the traces of another sorcerer.”
“What? You messed up something that simple?”
“No, it wasn’t a failure exactly…”
Decan frowned, recalling what had happened.
His spell hadn’t failed. It had been interfered with.
If there had been no interference, the Empress wouldn’t have gotten soaked. Only a few drops would’ve landed on her dress.
Those few drops would’ve seeped in, followed the traces of the other sorcerer, and dried up as if nothing had happened once the spell finished.
But instead, the Empress had been completely drenched—
As if something was trying to block his vision.
What had happened?
Serven clapped Decan on the shoulder.
“Well, at least be half-worried. Her Majesty said she’d let it go.”
Though they were both Shadow Knights of the same rank, there was a slight difference between the two.
The Sigres family had produced knights in the imperial order for generations. Even Serven’s great-great-grandfather held a baronet title.
Decan’s father had served as a vassal to Serven and Lian’s father, Baron Sigres. So Decan still tended to treat them as his superiors.
Serven and Lian didn’t really mind. To them, Decan was a skilled sorcerer and a trustworthy enough knight to be entrusted with the Third Shadow.
They only treated him like a junior because he’d joined the royal guard later than them.
“Actually, I wanted to ask. Why would she say something like that?”
“Who? Her Majesty?”
“Yes. It doesn’t make sense. She’s the Empress.”
“Well… Let’s just say she’s changed. Ever since she lost her memory, she’s become a completely different person. She doesn’t seem interested in tormenting or killing people anymore.”
“Really?”
“You saw it for yourself. Even after getting doused in water, Her Majesty was composed. She judged the situation fairly.”
“That’s true…”
Decan trailed off, frowning.
“What’s that face for? Isn’t it a good thing? Less bloodshed in the palace is always a win.”
“Can a person change that much?”
“Who knows? Maybe the memory loss or personality change is all just an act. But for now, she’s keeping it up. I hope she stays that way for the Emperor’s sake.”
Serven’s past worries about the Empress manipulating the Emperor had all but vanished.
To him, the current Empress felt like a completely different person. The old one now seemed more like a stranger.
Decan slowly nodded.
“I still can’t quite believe it, but… if there’s no punishment, that’s a good thing.”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
Serven smacked Decan’s back with a grin.
“She’s not going to let it go that easily. You better brace yourself.”
“But she said she’d overlook it…”
“Oh, that was Her Majesty’s word.”
“Then…?”
“His Majesty is another matter.”
“…Pardon?”
Since Decan hadn’t visited the palace since the Empress’s memory loss, he didn’t understand.
“You’ll figure it out later. I warned you.”
With that cryptic remark, Serven quickly chased after the Empress.
Still mulling over Serven’s strange words, Decan suddenly noticed something odd.
“Come to think of it… why is Sir Sigres personally guarding Her Majesty…?”
Something was changing.
And the Empress likely knew the reason why.
“Let’s get you out of those clothes first, Your Majesty.”
Back in the Empress’s palace, Yvette led Rasilia to the bath.
“The water’s heating up now. Just hold on a bit longer. Oh no, your lips are turning blue!”
Yvette hurriedly began unfastening the buttons.
The heavy, ornate outer dress came off, revealing the inner dress. Rasilia stopped Yvette’s hands.
“That’s enough. I’ll take off the undergarments myself.”
“But your hands are trembling! Please, allow me—”
“No. Don’t touch me anymore.”
Thanks to her blue lips, Rasilia’s voice sounded even colder.
“Ah… Yes, Your Majesty. I will obey.”
Yvette bowed her head deeply and stepped back.
She looked concerned, but it was the right choice. Yvette didn’t need to know about the mark.
“Turn around. Once I’m in the tub, you may approach.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
Yvette obediently turned her back.
Rasilia kept her eyes on the girl as she undressed. Her trembling hands made undoing the buttons difficult, but thankfully she’d had all her dresses altered to fasten from the front.
That’s when she noticed something strange.
Yvette’s clothes were barely wet. A bit damp, but that was just from helping remove the Empress’s wet dress.
“You didn’t get wet at all, did you?”
“Pardon? Oh—no, Your Majesty. Thanks to you shielding me, I remained completely dry! I still feel terribly guilty, though. I should have protected Your Majesty instead!”
“You don’t need to say that. It’s a relief you didn’t get wet.”
“A relief? No, I just feel deeply ashamed…”
It was still hard to believe.
‘Since the spell was aimed at me, maybe I’m the only one who suffered the effects.’
In Delarta, where divine power was prioritized, people hardly knew anything about sorcery. It was seen as a primitive, unstable force from ancient times.
But maybe that wasn’t true.
The spell had clearly targeted her. It had been precise.
And yet Decan had called it a mistake.
That meant the spell might be far more advanced than she’d thought.
Rasilia removed her soaked clothes, wrapped herself in a towel, and stepped into the bath.
Splash.
Hearing the small splash, Yvette asked,
“Your Majesty… are you in the bath?”
“Yes. You may turn around now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Yvette quickly turned, tidied the wet clothes, and came to her side.
“Is the water okay? Shall I wash your hair?”
“The temperature is fine. I’ll wash my own hair.”
“Then… may I at least soap your back?”
“That’s fine.”
Yvette looked like she might cry.
“This is all my job, though…”
“Even the Marchioness of Pashade only helped me undress.”
“But I’m a palace maid. Bathing assistance is part of my duties.”
“Exactly. So you don’t need to do it.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? I thought I’d be more helpful because I can do both maid and palace attendant work…”
She looked so disappointed that Rasilia couldn’t help feeling both sorry and thankful.
Rasilia reached out and gently tapped the back of Yvette’s hand.
“You’re right. You’ve been a great help. I just don’t enjoy being assisted during baths.”
“Oh… I understand.”
As the warm water soaked her body, the chills began to fade.
Rasilia rested her head on the tub’s edge and stared up at the ornate marble ceiling.
Now that her body felt better, her mind was about to burst with worry.
‘What do I do now?’
Two months still remained.
She couldn’t just sit and wait for the priest from Delarta to arrive.
‘Is there a way to leave this place without revealing who I am?’
That was the best option if she wanted to survive.
But the problem was, there was no way.
‘If I could just get out of the palace… But a queen can’t leave without a reason. Maybe if I say I’m visiting the Duchy of Fielion to see my family?’
That wasn’t a great excuse either.
She’d certainly be accompanied by escorts. The Emperor had assigned Shadow Knights to guard her. It was unclear if it was for protection—or surveillance.
‘There’s no way I could shake them off on my own. And I stand out too much.’
With her looks and attire, anyone would recognize her as the Empress.
‘Maybe if I change clothes… But I’d still need to hide my face. Wouldn’t that seem more suspicious?’
Besides, Rasilia had no knowledge of life outside the temple or the palace. Even if she managed to slip away from Serven and the others, she had no idea how she’d survive two months on the road to Delarta without exposing herself.
‘Running away is impossible. They’ll never let an Empress escape.’
Why did she have to come back to life in the body of the Empress?
Rasilia bit her lip hard.
‘If only I weren’t the Empress, it wouldn’t be so hard to return to Delarta… Huh?’
Then, a thought struck her.
What if she weren’t the Empress?
If she could stop being the Empress—
If she became someone with no connection to the position—
Then maybe she could go anywhere.
