Chapter 35
She didn’t even have the chance to properly look around the room—she hadn’t sat down on the sofa yet—when a knock sounded on the door. Maybe it was just her mood, but even the knock sounded irritated. It couldn’t be Regios; he was the one who told her to rest. The person knocking was definitely Seluna.
“What is it?”
When Ephelia opened the door, just as she expected, Seluna was standing there. Seluna walked in confidently and naturally, as if she owned the place.
“You must have thought it was His Highness the Crown Prince. You opened the door without even asking who it was.”
“If it were Regios, I wouldn’t have opened it.”
Seluna only let out a quiet, amused scoff. Then she slowly looked around the room.
“This room is amazing.”
“Is it?”
She knew it was a nice room. Decorated in rich greens, soft limes, gold, and white, even the smallest ornament bore a craftsman’s touch. It was beautiful enough to rival the main hall of the ducal estate—no, it held a grace and grandeur that couldn’t be found even there.
“This room is much nicer than the one I was assigned.”
“You’ve already looked at the rooms?”
“Oh, right. You wouldn’t know. You’ve never stayed here before. You always stayed in the Crown Princess’s chambers. Anyway… it must be inconvenient, having to stay here because of me?”
“I actually feel more comfortable here.”
“Really? I suppose it would be. This is probably the best room in the entire Iris Palace.”
Seluna looked around again before sitting on the most prominent sofa—like she belonged there.
“Impressive, sister.”
“What do you mean?”
“I almost believed you. That you really intended to help me.”
“I was being sincere.”
It wasn’t that she particularly wanted to help Seluna. She simply had no interest in the position of Crown Princess. She genuinely wanted Seluna to become Crown Princess. Why did they have to meet now, of all times? If only Seluna had already become Crown Princess… things would have been easier.
But there was something far more troublesome at the moment—if Seluna went to her uncle with the wrong idea, Ephelia would be the one to suffer.
“If you were sincere, you shouldn’t have held his hand. Acting all fragile and then grabbing His Highness’s hand right in front of me—did it feel good?”
“If I had refused, you know perfectly well what Regios would’ve said.”
“Regios…”
Seluna murmured the name.
“You’ve been calling him Regios since you returned. Sister.”
She had. Ephelia realized that only now. Before, she had always called him Your Highness the Crown Prince. She never dared speak his name—afraid it would anger him, afraid he would dislike it, afraid of everything.
But now… she wasn’t afraid of his displeasure anymore. That must have been why she could say his name.
“I haven’t even been granted permission to use his name yet. But you come back, and now I understand my place.”
“Seluna, that’s not—”
“Or are you trying to show me exactly what my place is?”
Ephelia stopped trying to explain. Seluna wouldn’t believe her anyway. Seluna clearly thought Ephelia had said Regios’s name on purpose—to belittle her.
“Why did you come back?”
“I told you—it wasn’t my choice.”
If her adoptive parents hadn’t been used against her, she would never have returned. No matter what she said, Seluna would believe whatever she preferred to believe.
“You should’ve refused until the end. You always do that—act like the victim while insisting it isn’t your intention. Amazing. I wish I could learn it. Seems I still can’t catch up to you.”
“It’s not like that.”
Her sharp accusations and bitter sarcasm weren’t pleasant to hear. But unlike before, they didn’t hurt. Ephelia only denied them because the misunderstandings would cause her trouble—nothing more.
“Like a leech. No matter how many times I try to tear you off, you never die.”
Despite the venom in her words, Seluna’s smile was bright and radiant.
“Watch your words.”
“Why? Did it hit a nerve?”
“I have no reason to hear that from you.”
Ephelia’s indifferent reaction deflated Seluna, who pouted. In the past, being called a leech stabbed her like a knife to the heart. But now, she felt nothing. She no longer had regrets—not about Regios, not about staying at his side.
The position of Crown Princess—later Empress—once meant everything to her. But the glory of the title had never been what she wanted.
She just wanted to stand beside Regios. She had loved him. She had wanted to spend her life with him. She thought he would be on her side.
But he wasn’t.
It was only when she had decided to end her life that she finally understood—he would never be hers.
There was nothing here that she wanted anymore.
Ephelia wanted Seluna to become Crown Princess more than anyone—more than Seluna herself, even. Because then, she’d no longer have to stay here.
Then she could return.
If that happened, maybe she could go back to there. Ephelia prayed for that outcome more desperately than anything.
Her head throbbed from exhaustion. She collapsed onto the sofa. In the past, she would never have done something so undignified, even when alone. As a noble lady—no, as the future Crown Princess—she had always sat straight-backed.
But she no longer belonged to that position. The past she had abandoned had become a cruel reality.
Knock, knock.
Ephelia sat up. Was it Regios this time? She really didn’t want to see him. Did he have something so urgent he had to come the same day, after telling her to rest? She sighed.
“Who is it?”
“My lady, it’s me.”
“Jina.”
So she had been sent a personal maid. Ephelia opened the door herself.
“Was the journey difficult?”
“No. The carriage was really nice. I wasn’t tired at all.”
“Did you come with Seluna’s maids?”
“Oh… yes.”
It seemed the other maids hadn’t treated her kindly. Ephelia felt sorry for her. A maid’s treatment always depended on her master’s status, and Jina was now her personal maid.
“It’s my first time entering the imperial palace. Because of you, my lady, I get to see a place like this.”
“Thanks for coming all this way. Pick any room you like.”
“W–what? I—I could never use a room meant for you, my lady!”
Even if this was just one room among many, it was large enough to be a mansion. Several bedrooms, dressing rooms, and a reception room—truly the finest quarters in the Iris Palace.
Maids were never allowed to use such rooms. They usually slept in tiny storage spaces. Yet Ephelia had said any room.
“There are plenty of unused rooms. Choose whichever you like.”
“But, still—”
“It’ll be easier to call you if you’re nearby.”
She could easily summon her with a bell pull, but she said it anyway. It was clearly Ephelia’s kindness. Besides, Ephelia had no intention of asking her to do chores—she was too tired.
“Th-thank you, my lady.”
“Just rest until I call you. Don’t wait on me. I won’t need anything until tomorrow.”
“Yes, my lady.”
“You can look around too. I’m going to rest now. Please don’t disturb me.”
Jina understood. She bowed deeply.
“Yes. Rest well, my lady.”
Ephelia left Jina to her own devices and entered the master bedroom. She collapsed onto the bed like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
Finally, I’m alone.
She was exhausted. Her mind felt like it was splitting apart. Everything around her grated on her nerves.
Tap.
At first, she thought something had hit the window. Maybe an acorn falling? In the forest, she often saw squirrels carrying acorns. The sight had always been cute, comforting. A faint smile touched her lips.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
But the sound became rhythmic—intentional. There were no oak trees in the imperial palace.
Ephelia stood up, walked to the window, and pulled back the curtains. A large man stood outside, but she didn’t startle.
Instead, she opened the window.
“Hello, Ephelia.”
When it opened, the man greeted her.
“Hello, Hailen.”
Ephelia, who had been downcast the whole time, finally smiled.
